The Monster Within
by Nigel Yearning
Summary: As Ash is wrapping up his journey in Unova, he and his friends found themselves in a town where Pokemon are seen as a threat. It didn't take long to realize why when a rogue Pokemon group decide to make their grand entrance.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER**

** Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO **

**Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter 1_

"Where are you, Bubbles?" Gloria called out with glee.

The Sea Otter Pokémon watched from five meters away as the six year old poked around some bushes. She giggled. Maybe Bubbles had hidden herself so well that her trainer had no idea where she was. Boy, she was looking at the wrong place. She claimed to be good at hide-and-seek, yet she hadn't found her after 20 minutes. Bubbles giggled again, she readjusted to a more comfortable position. A twig snapped.

Gloria turned, her eyes centering on the pink Oshawott. Bubbles blushed, she had found her.

"There you are, Bubbles!"

Bubbles burst out laughing as Gloria rushed toward her, she pulled her Oshawott out of the bushes and scooped her up. "You were so good at hiding!"

_"I can't hide as well as you, though," _said Bubbles, even though her trainer wouldn't understand a lick of her speech.

Gloria cradled Bubbles for a full minute. It felt like hours. Bubbles cooed and buried her face into her trainer's shoulder. Her pink dress smelling much like bubblegum. Bubblegum was her favorite candy. She had bubblegum-flavored ice cream, bubblegum-scented shampoo, bubblegum-textured clothes. Practically everything in her room was either pink and or bubblegum-scented. Bubbles breathed in through her nose, then awe. She loved that bubblegum smell.

"I love you, Bubbles," Gloria cooed.

_"I love you too, Gloria."_

She sat Bubbles down and smiled, "Okay, your turn to find me now!"

Bubbles grinned, _"Okay, I'll find you soon!"_

Gloria spun around, the bell of her dress bobbing up and down as she skipped through the woods. Before vanishing within the trees, she spun around for a brief second. "Don't look!" she called out.

Bubbles rushed up to a tree and covered her eyes, _"Okay!" _she called back.

She waited till Gloria's footsteps faded into the background noise, then started counting to one hundred.

It was barely a year now since Bubbles was introduced into Gloria's family. Her Mommy brought her to the Pokémon breeder because Gloria wanted a Pokémon for her fifth birthday. Bubbles was barely a few weeks old at the time. She couldn't remember much besides being bathed and fed. What she remembered best was the breeder groomed her almost every day. Smoothing out her fur, making her look her best. It felt so nice, relieving, like being on a cloud of warmed marshmallows. "Oh you looks so pretty," the breeder would say. "So so pretty."

Bubbles really cooed from that. She loved being adored. People were so friendly, so caring. Loving even. When she first met Gloria that day, she prayed for her to pick her. The Sea Otter Pokémon saw that Gloria was that loving and affectionate type. So young, and innocent. A precious beauty who would return her love. Bubbles had several rejections before, six of them to be exact. She was nervous, her heart racing as Gloria approached her.

It was love at first sight.

Gloria scooped her up and nearly crushed her in her arms. But it was alright. Her love help relieve the pressure.

"This one! This one!" Gloria cried to her mother as she desperately tugged at the older women's pants leg. "I want this one!"

A pink Oshawott, oh boy that would make her friends all jealous inside. Normally an Oshawott would be sky-blue, but she was a precious bubblegum pink. A sprite like her was rare, so rare the breeder hesitated to let her go. In the end, Gloria was the victor and ended up carrying her out of the Pokémon lab. She would see that place nor the breeder ever again.

The first thing Gloria did with her was give her a bath. It was a lovely bath, more lovely than the baths at the Pokémon lab. Her new trainer's hands were delicate, more tender and caring. The water was warmer too, and the tub was like the size of a swimming pool. Bubbles would sink her head into the water and blow bubbles, the suds would often expel huge bubbles which would float around the air like clouds. Gloria would laugh her head off, eventually adding more bubble bath into the water despite her mommy's orders. Bubbles had agitated the water so much that somehow, the whole bathroom got filled with suds. "Bubbles," she teared. "Lots and lots of bubbles!"

She turned to the Oshawott. "Would you like your name to be Bubbles?"

Bubbles nodded vigorously.

Gloria giggled, "Okay, Bubbles. Let's clean this all up before Mommy sees this, she'll get angry if we don't."

The food was really good. Gloria's mommy's homemade Pokémon food was so good, it made Bubbles's taste buds pucker. On the holidays, where they would have a mass-gathering, she would eat and eat until her belly was stuffed. The food was _way _better than the kind of food she used to eat at the Pokémon lab. This food was not only filling, it was satisfying. It would often make her sleepy, in which Gloria had to take her to bed.

The bed was pretty much the best.

When Bubbles snuggled into Gloria's bed for the first time, she practically melted into the mattress. Her last bed, a stiff pillow cushion, pale in comparison with Gloria's. Not only was it soft, the blankets were padded and warming. Snuggling with Gloria under the plush pink covers drawn a happy end to a long fun-filled day.

By the time Bubbles counted to 73, she was already considering to head back home. She planned on a hot bath, plus a nap on the bed, and then dinner, and then sleep. She felt tired, drained. Bubbles wondered if she could take a short nap before going out to find Gloria.

No, that could wait. That could all wait. First she find Gloria, then she could head back home. Who knows, maybe Gloria would carry her back home. That would be a nice bonus for the end of the day.

_"One-hundred," _said Bubbles, she turned around and shouted, _"Ready or not, here I come!"_

Bubbles jogged to where she thought Gloria ran off to. Immediately she checked for footprints, disturbed grass, broken twigs, pretty much anything that doesn't look natural. She was getting good at this game. Though the forest wasn't exactly her preferred environment to dwell in, she was good at finding things in it. Bubbles had played this game for so long that not only does she find Gloria sooner, she also found hidden goodies like wild berries and shiny silver coins. One time her mommy lost her purse so Gloria sent her to go search for it. It didn't take long for the Oshawott to find the purse. It somehow got under the master bed. Mommy patted her on the head and gave her an ice-cream sandwich as a reward. It gave Bubbles brain freeze, but it was still the best ice-cream sandwich she ever had.

_"Gloria," _she called out, _"Where are you!?"_

No response. No faint giggling or the crunching of leaves. Gloria had either gotten better at staying quiet, or she had climbed up a tree and was looking down from above. Bubbles looked up, so far no pink fabric among the green leaves.

_"Gloria?" _she called out again.

Tricky little girl, sometimes she would sneak around her and find a new hiding place. Not exactly going against the rules, but it made things a whole lot harder. Bubbles checked the usual hiding places: The hollowed out remains of a fallen log, the large hole in the tree, the small crevice in the ditch. She wasn't there. Bubbles scratched her head. Hmm, where could she be? Normally she would have found her by now.

Leaves shuffled as something thumped to the ground, Bubbles turned towards the noise, _"Gloria?"_

Bubbles crouched and made her way towards the source. It often could be Gloria's tricks, sometimes she would throw a rock or a branch to get her to move out of her escape zone. Bubbles occasionally peaked behind her, sometimes she would catch her trying to sneak by. She looked behind her shoulder, half expecting to see Gloria tip-toing around the corner. There were only trees and bushes instead.

_"Uh, Gloria," _Bubbles called out. _"We're pretty far from the house!"_

Again, the Sea Otter had no doubt that Gloria couldn't understand that, but she said it anyway. Bubbles was getting nervous. Her mommy said sternly not – repeat, _not _– go too far into the woods, or they risked getting lost. Bubbles hadn't realized how far they were out. Hopefully Gloria knew her way around the forest, Bubbles couldn't imagine spending the night out here.

_"Gloria!?" _Bubbles called out again.

Still nothing.

Bubbles approached some bushes and pushed them aside, then gasped.

Gloria laid face down in the middle of a clearing. She was motionless, eerily still. Bubbles blinked, then shook her head. Of course, Gloria must be really tired, so tired that she passed out into sleepyland. But the way she lay . . . she normally sleep on her back, not on her belly. Bubbles stepped out of the bushes and called out. _"Gloria?"_

She didn't respond, let alone flinch.

When Bubbles got closer, she saw something out of the ordinary. A stick, a long slender stick, stuck out of the back of her head. There were red feathers glued to the end, but why? Bubbles held out two fingers and smoothed one out.

_What is this? _

She looked down at the back of Gloria's head, whatever the stick was it seemed to be lodged deep. Bubbles grabbed it, it felt like it was made out of something hard. Really hard. Something metal, perhaps? The Sea Otter pressed a hand against Gloria's head and pulled against the stick. It began to slide out.

Bubbles couldn't prepare herself for what came out with the stick. Her eyes bulged as thick crimson liquid spewed out, like a geyser of some sort. It spewed out over Gloria's hair and dress, splattering in circular drops. Bubbles blinked, her heart pounding viciously in her chest. She put in more muscle, grunting as she gave the stick another hard pull.

The stick came out in a sickly plop. Bubbles held it up, squinting her eyes to see more clearly. The tip of the stick was bullet-shaped, seemingly well-worn. The crimson liquid marked how deep it went. Bubbles had no idea about measurements and math but it didn't take much thinking to see how deep it really was. She dropped the stick, then stumbled back. Bubbles fell on her butt and kicked away from Gloria. She panicked, gasping for air. What happened to Gloria? What was going on!?

Bubbles was just about to scream her head off when a slender sky-blue arm emerged from the bushes, it ringed her around the neck and brought her into a chokehold. Bubbles yelped, she kicked her legs and tried to pry the arm off with her fingers. It was no use, the arm was too strong.

_"You scream, I'll snap your fat neck," _hissed the voice of a Dewott.

Bubbles stopped kicking. Tears escaped her eyes as she whimpered, _"Don't hurt me!"_

The Dewott pulled a black bag over her head and tied a knot in it. A hard blow then came down on the back of her neck. Bubbles grunted and fell forward, her mind started clouded up. She moaned as the Dewott hoisted her over its shoulder. It didn't say anything, it just simply got up and started walking. Its footsteps was the last she heard before slipping into the dark void.

**. . .**

She couldn't remember much of the trip. Everything was black, save for the twinkling lights that penetrated the sack. Bubbles heard voices. Someone shouting commands. The hard rapid-fire pacing of feet. The clattering of light metal. She was terrified, but was in no shape to react. Her body was still numbed by the blow, she couldn't bring herself to lift her own head.

After what seemed like forever, she was dumped on the ground. Bubbles squirmed, then realized her hands and feet were bound by something plastic. She was scared. Something bad was going on, something so wrong that a part of her brain was overwhelmed by sheer horror. As she struggled to break through her bonds, someone gave her a sharp kick in the butt. Bubbles grunted, her face smashed against the ground.

_"Move, and I'll break your legs!" _hissed the Dewott.

A hand grabbed the bag over head and pulled it off, Bubbles eyes sunk into her skull from what she saw.

Small bi-pedal Pokémon stood before her. They were armed with crossbows and rifles. Bubbles had seen multiple Pokémon on TV, but never one in person until now. Every weapon that was present seemed to be aimed at her, primed with itchy trigger fingers. Bubbles tried to scream, but couldn't, her voice was caught.

The Dewott in question came before her, he held a crossbow over his shoulders as he wielded a scalchop. It had a half-meter long sky-blue blade sticking out the front, and it was _huge._

_ Razor Shell, _Bubbles thought.

It was the only weapon she was familiar with and she knew its capabilities. The Discipline Pokémon held the tip of his plasma blade to her throat, its eyes burning with hate. _"You sit right there," _he warned. _"If you even let out a peep, I'll drive this Razor Shell into your belly and tear out your innards. Do you hear me?"_

Bubbles stared at her, too shocked to react.

The Dewott stomped on her solar plexus, then barked into her face. _"I said, DO YOU F*CKEN HEAR ME!?"_

Bubbles teared up and nodded vigorously. The stomp on her gut hurt so much, she felt she was being torn apart. This was pain completely foreign to her.

He pulled his foot off and withdrew his Razor Shell, _"Good," _he said. _"Now you listen here you little pink sh*t, if you-"_

_ "Wotter," _called out the voice of a Scrafty, _"That's enough!"_

Bubbles looked up, a Scrafty came walking up into the fray. He carried a big clunky assault rifle. Ugly as a Trash Heap Pokémon, meaner than the Dewott. There were all sorts of modifications added to it, she couldn't tell what they were. All she could tell was that the weapon was weathered and had been abused a lot.

The Scrafty himself stood before her. His red crest was quite large, indicating he was the leader. The crest had a few strands of white hair in it, hinting the Hoodlum Pokémon must be middle-aged or was approaching its elderly years. The Scrafty's pupil in his right-eye was cloudy with a milky gray film. He must have poor vision in it, assuming he could see through it at all.

Both eyes were pointed straight at the Dewott, appearing calm yet authorities. The nearby Pokémon lowered their weapons, seeing they were no longer necessary. _"Wotter," _the Scrafty said. _"What did you bring to camp during your scouting run?"_

_ "An Oshawott, Nobark," _said Wotter. _"A pink one, as you can see."_

Nobark crouched, he reached out and held Bubbles's head up by her chin. The Sea Otter Pokémon looked deep into his eyes. A hodgepodge of emotions was circling around in a violent vortex inside, waiting to be unleashed.

_"You have a name?" _he asked calmly.

Bubbles felt her heart pound hard against her chest, she gulped and muttered under her breath. _"Bubbles."_

_ "Mmm-hmm," _Nobark nodded. _"I can see why, you smell just like bubblegum."_

Nobark picked up his gun and slung it around his back, then grabbed Bubbles with both hands. She shut her eyes, crying, _"What is going on, what did I do!?"_

The Hoodlum Pokémon held her up, examining every part of her body. He placed a finger on her nose and pulled her mouth open. Bubbles's felt sweat trail down the back of her neck, was he checking her out?

_"You have nice teeth," _said Nobark. _"Really nice teeth."_

He held up two fingers and pinched her belly, _"And you're quite well-fed as well."_

_ "Please," _Bubbles pleaded. _"I just wanted to go home!"_

_ "There there, Bubbles," _said Nobark, _"Everything's alright, apparently there was some misunderstanding. We'll sort this all out. In the meantime, you come with me. I have someone you would like to meet."_

The Hoodlum Pokémon turned toward Wotter. _"You are dismissed."_

_ "Yes, sir," _Wotter grunted.

As Wotter walked away, the other Pokémon simply disembarked. Bubbles felt a little relieved, but was still fearful for her life. Nobark wrapped his arms around her, like he was being protective. The Oshawott felt his breath blow through her ears in steady puffs. She felt squeamish. Besides Gloria, she hadn't been this close to anyone before.

_"Where am I?" _she managed to say.

Nobark shrugged. _"A little abode I had set up some years before."_

He pushed aside some bushes, Bubbles's eyes grew big.

It was a large complex of some sort. Large concrete buildings pop-marked the landscape. They were plain, painted white. The paint was already flickering away, turning yellow from age. Wooden crates were stacked up against the buildings. They had a variety of labels: Such as _Food, MRE's,_ and_ Ammunition._ The crates were painted olive green, just like the paint on the buildings. It too was fading.

A multitude of Pokémon walked around the complex. Most were small and medium-size, a lot of them were bi-pedal. She saw a few quadrupeds, some of which were even walking on two feet. Many of the Pokémon were carrying tools, such as crowbars and hatchets. A lot were carried crossbows and rifles, there were a few that carried some sort of fully-automatic weapon. A weapon that could cause mass death in seconds.

She had a bad feeling with all those weapons.

Several Pokémon turned toward her. Most looked curious. Either it was because she was someone new, or it was the fact that she was pink instead of blue. A few even waved hi to her. She would wave back, but her hands were bundled. Bubbles returned the wave with a simple nod, the Pokémon got the message and went back to their activities.

_They don't seem so mean like that Wotter fella, _she thought.

_"Evening, sir," _said a Timburr as he passed by, carrying a weapon's crate over his shoulder.

_"Evening, Woody," _said Nobark.

The Timburr glanced over at Bubbles, curiously looking at her for a second, then turned back around and kept on walking.

Up ahead, a Snivy tended to a large fire pit. She had what looked like a black machete. It was comfortably snugged in a rough-leather holster, strapped firmly to her back. Bubbles shivered, it looked more terrifying like the other weapons. Even Wotter's Razor Shell pale in comparison.

The Grass Snake Pokémon seemed to be frying some chopped fruit in a greasy frying pan, she was just adding green peppers when Nobark approached. "Smugleaf," he said, this time in human speech.

Bubbles jumped in his arms, did he just speak _human _words?

"You need something, Nobark?" Smugleaf asked, still transfixed on the frying pan.

_She spoke human speech too!? _

"Look what Wotter dragged in."

Smugleaf looked up, at the moment she saw Bubbles her eyes lit up. "It's an Oshawott!" she squealed.

Nobark lay Bubbles on the ground, Smugleaf rushed up to her and picked her up. The Snivy pressed her nose against the Oshawott's shoulder and sniffed, "She smells like bubblegum."

"Her name is Bubbles," said Nobark. "I think Wotter done something bad to her."

Bubbles turned back to the Scrafty, she noticed that his left hand was shaking. It tremor and twitched, like it was getting ready to explode. Nobark didn't seem to notice as he ran it through the fine hairs of his crest.

"He did not hurt her or anything," Smugleaf asked. "Did he?"

"Just her pride, maybe something else too. Whatever's the case, you take good care of her. Don't let Wotter, or any other Pokémon for that matter, lay a hand on her. She's scared and confused, she'd just got here."

"She's a new recruit?"

_A recruit, _Bubbles asked. _A recruit of what?_

Nobark shrugged. "Looks that way. I better go debrief Wotter to see what happened. In the meantime, you keep her company."

Smugleaf grinned, "Will do, Nobark."

As Nobark turned around, he bent his shaking arm and pressed it against his side. His head twitched involuntarily as he walked casually out of sight.

_"He has Parkinson's Disease,"_ said Smugleaf, this time in regular Pokémon speech. _"Besides that, he's fine."_

_"He doesn't seem quite fine."_

_ "He's old, Oshie, you noticed his graying crest right?"_

Bubbles nodded, _"Yes, I had."_

_ "Just don't worry about him, Nobark's nice. Well, his default feeling that is."_

_ "Feeling?"_

Smugleaf sat her back on the ground, she reached over her shoulder and pulled out her knife. The edge of the blade twinkled, it looked so sharp it maybe can cut through steel. Bubbles cringed and shivered.

_"Relax, Bubbles," _said Smugleaf. _"I'm just going to cut your bonds."_

The Grass Snake Pokémon cut the plastic cuffs off her legs, then her hands. Smugleaf holstered her knife and helped her up. _"See, Bubbles, it's not so bad."_

Bubbles just looked at her, her eyes watered. _"I wanna go home."_

Smugleaf gave her a tight hug. _"There there, Bubbles. It's alright, everything's going to be okay."_

_ "My trainer's hurt, or something happened to her!"_

Smugleaf raised an eyebrow. _"Who's your trainer?"_

_ "Gloria, she's only six years old."_

Bubbles shook her head, she got on her knees and cried. _"Something bad happened to her!"_

Smugleaf gasped, she stepped back and covered her mouth. _"What happened?"_

_ "She got shot with a long stick!"_

Smugleaf asked, _"Does it have feathers and a bullet-tip?"_

Bubbles nodded. _"Yes, it does. It was wedged deep into the back of her head."_

Smugleaf went silent. She stared at her for a minute, then turned away. _"I'm sorry, Bubbles, but I think she's dead."_

_ "No."_

_ "A shot to the head is a death sentence, Bubbles. It isn't something that you could put a band-aid on. If you take anything straight into your noggin, you'll-" _

Smugleaf stopped when she saw Bubbles tear up, the Sea Otter Pokémon slumped on her rear and sobbed, _"Why is this happening to me!?"_

Bubbles covered her eyes and cried, Smugleaf grabbed a nearby rag and handed it to the Sea Otter Pokémon. She blew her nose into it and handed it back, _"What is going on? What is this weird place? Why is that Dewott so mean?"_

_ "I don't understand," _Bubbles finally added. _"I don't understand all this."_

Smugleaf gave Bubbles a hug, _"Are you tired?"_

_ "Yeah, but I don't think I could sleep tonight."_

The Grass Snake Pokémon helped Bubbles back onto her feet, _"Here, I'll find you a nice warm bed to sleep in tonight. I'll explain what I can tomorrow morning."_

Bubbles looked up at Smugleaf. _"You'd do that for me?"_

Smugleaf smiled, _"I know how you feel, I went through a similar experience in the past."_

The Oshawott said nothing, she just let Smugleaf take her by the hand and pull her away.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

The line was long, stretching kilometers. There were only two entrances leading in and out of the town and both entrances were heavily regulated. A four meter cinderblock fence encased the isolated community on three sides while the sea closed out the fourth. The ports there too were regulated, more guarded than the checkpoints themselves.

People shifted on one foot to the other, others bounced on their knees. The waiting period was said to be six hours around midday. The entry process takes somewhere around five minutes for Unova citizens, while outsiders take around twenty. When you first stepped up to the gate, you were asked to scan your Pokédex. Next you must declare how many Pokémon you have on your person. Six was the official limit for people. If you have one or more Pokémon over that limit, you would be instantly turned away. On the third step, your fingerprints would be scanned and a DNA sample taken from you and your Pokémon. Once that was processed, they would finally stick a GPS locator on your ankle for your "safety's sake" before you were finally released into the town.

Those who have went through the process would tell you that you would last two weeks before the local authorities nab you for the most absurd charges, if you try to return you would be arrested on the spot for trespassing. The Unova Regional Police often helped those people with a Get-Out-of-Jail free card. That in turn led to some people disappearing under "unusual circumstances." The city's government was corrupt, rotten.

"Next," the inspector called out as the last pedestrian passed.

**. . .**

_Finally, _Mark thought. _My turn._

His shiny-sprite Emolga sat perched on his shoulder, clutching his shirt tightly. As Mark approached the counter, a woman with blond hair sat behind the booth, waiting for him. "Scan your Pokédex, sir," she calmly replied.

Mark held up his left arm, strapped to his wrist was a communicator. It had a widescreen with a single button and locking switch. It had a scanner on the bottom and a light in the side. His Pokédex was technically one of the most advanced in the world, and it was only manufactured and sold on Faraday Island. Mark unlocked the Pokédex touchscreen and pressed a few icons he pulled up the code feature. He held it underneath the scanner, the scanner flashed yellow for a few seconds before green-lighting.

The inspector went through his information on the computer. "You were born in Faraday City, correct?"

"Yes," he calmly say.

Faraday City was part of Faraday Island, which officially was a providence of Unova. Therefore, Mark was a Unova citizen and the entry processing time had decreased dramatically.

But he would never get that far.

"How many Pokémon you have?"

"Four."

"Show me."

Mark reached into his pockets and pulled out three more Poké balls. He tossed them, three white beams arched onto the ground and three Pokémon materialized. A Plusle and Minun stood side by side, and a Pikachu sat behind them. Mark scooped them up and propped them on the counter, then sat Emolga among them.

His four Pokémon said nothing. They glanced at each other, their eyes both curious and afraid.

The inspector went through the information. "What are their genders?"

"All female," Mark replied.

"Were they bred in captivity or caught in the wild?"

"The Emolga and both Cheering Pokémon were born in captivity, the Pikachu was caught in the wild."

The inspector scrolled down in the information, "Hmm."

Mark raised an eyebrow, "Something wrong."

The inspector turned to Mark, "Where exactly did you capture your Pikachu?"

Mark's Pikachu froze.

"In a forest, near some railroad tracks. Why?"

"I think there may be a problem."

Mark raised an eyebrow, "How come?"

The inspector scrolled through the information again, "It says here your Pikachu was caught in Unova, yet the Mouse Pokémon is only found in Kanto and Sinnoh, and those regions are nowhere near Unova."

Mark felt a drop of sweat trail down his neck, "Surely someone might have introduced some Pikachus into Unova."

"Could be," said the inspector. "We can clear this up doing a DNA test."

"And how long would that take."

"Just a second."

The inspector pulled out a biometric scanner, it was around the size of a portable defibulator with fancy sky-blue and silver plating. Pikachu blinked and stared at the bio-scanner with curiosity, as if she was familiar with the device. "May I see your hand, Pikachu?" she asked, her tone stanch and blunt.

Pikachu stuck her arm out, the inspector seized it and slapped it on the scanning pad. There was a click and Pikachu yelped, she quickly withdrew her hand and stuck it into her mouth. "Chuuu," she whined.

She held out her hand to her trainer. The palm was puffy red, seemingly burned.

Mark's temper flared, he bounced on his foot and looked around. To his right he could see the ocean, the crystal blue he traveled just to get to the mainland. Looking closely, he could see that the land dropped suddenly into the ocean. Not a natural smooth edge, but a sudden drop. A sheer wall, Mark guesstimated it was at least two hundred meters down.

"Okay," said the inspector. "Here we go. It says here she had grandparents, both on her mother and father's side, who had escaped from a derailed train thirty years back. That isn't far from here."

Mark said nothing.

"It also says that these Mice Pokémon were children of a single Pikachu, which seems to be a celebrity. You know of a Pikachu by the name Tesla Westinghouse?"

"Yes, I do. He was part of the family. I heard about the train derailment and I went over there to investigate. I found myself a Pikachu, who let me catch her. There was no hassle or anything."

"Chuuu," Pikachu whined again, waving her burned hand in front of Mark to get his attention.

Mark rubbed Pikachu's ears. "Are you okay, girl?"

Mark's Pikachu held out her hand, there was a pin-sized hole in the center of her palm, "There there, girl, you're going to be alright."

"Pika?" she asked.

"You'll be fine, that bio-scanner was tuned a little too high."

She pressed her head against Mark for dear comfort.

"Tesla was there," he went on. "He oversaw the whole capture process."

"What did he say about it?" the inspector asked.

"He said I sucked at it."

"Okay," said the inspector, she made a few clicks on her computer. "That explains everything."

Mark's Pikachu breathed a sigh of relief, he patted her on the head and went back to rubbing her ears. He had dodged that major hurdle. Just how did they figure out where he first received each of his Pokémon? Had they scanned the intensity of their Poké ball's beams? No, Emolga was already out, and her Poké ball was at home. Mark couldn't see any other electronic besides the camera mounted on the ceiling, staring directly at him. Oh well, he could figure everything out later. He was almost done. Soon they'll let him through and he would be on his way.

And then the inspector asked, "You have any weapons to declare?"

Mark froze. Technically he had a .22 Ruger tucked away in his backpack, along with a suppressor. Not only was the suppressor illegal and unregistered, his conceal-carrying permit wouldn't do him much good in mainland Unova. If the authorities find that out, he is f*cked.

But there was no need of a permit when carrying a knife.

"I have this pocketknife," he said, he pulled it out and sat it on the counter. It had a black carbon fiber handle with a comfortable grip. The inspector extended the blade, it stuck out roughly 10 centimeters

The inspector shot a look at Mark, "Sir, the legal limit for carrying a pocketknife is seven centimeters. This extends 10 centimeters."

He smartly remarked, "If it's illegal, then why do they sell it?"

"Cause you purchased it where it isn't illegal, and I bet a hundred Pokédollars you're carrying a concealed firearm on you with something else illegal."

Mark whipped out his wallet and pulled out two 50 Pokédollar bills, he sat them on the counter without saying a word. He realized what he had just done and blurted out with semi-humor. "Sh*t."

The inspector folded up the knife and stuck it in a drawer. "Sir, you are under arrest."

Mark reached into his pocket and pulled out a flash-bang grenade, he pulled the pin and dropped it on the ground.

The inspector shot out of her chair and dove to the ground. "SECURITY!"

Mark scooped up his Pokémon and made a bee-line for the cliff. The people behind them saw the flash-bang and scattered back.

The flash-bang went off, turning the world white with a heavy ringing noise. Mark staggered on his feet. He grunted, blinking hard to get his vision back.

He could make out the cliff's edge, it wasn't that far now. Mark held his Pokémon to his chest, all four were screaming in terror.

"Hang on guys!" Mark cried.

Mark vaulted over the cliff, then realized his stupidity big time when he saw huge boulders mingling with the waves.

"Oh, sh*t!"

Emolga slipped through his arms and bailed. She extended her arms and legs and glided for safety, Mark held onto his three remaining Pokémon for dear life. The ocean was coming in fast, Mark bent his knees and held his breath.

The world exploded into black as he plowed into the ocean below.

**. . .**

The old Mouse Pokémon at the other checkpoint wasn't having much luck either, he sat on the counter and watched as the inspector went over his information on the computer.

"You must have a trainer accompany you when you enter Soho," he said. "And you must be kept in a Poké ball when outdoors."

"For what reason?" Tesla spoke with human words.

"The measures were put in place by the City Council to stem the tide of terrorist attacks caused by rogue Pokémon. No Pokémon must be left unintended. Any Pokémon caught out of their Poké ball within the town limits will be taken into custody, if no trainer claims that Pokémon after 72 hours that Pokémon will be _euthanized_ for the common good. Do I make myself clear?"

Tesla wasn't stupid. He would spend all day arguing his rights and pull up a discussion on how effective the laws were in handling terrorists. But he didn't wanna press the issue any further. There were other people waiting behind him, the line stretching who knew how far. The old Pikachu stood up on his hind legs and nodded. "Sorry for wasting your time."

"Move along, please," the inspector grunted. Then he looked passed his shoulder, "Next!"

The old Pikachu jumped off the counter and walked away. He passed by several people in line, their eyes rolling over him as he headed back the way he came.

_Second-class citizens, _Tesla thought. _Here we go again._

Tesla walked up to a bench and sat down, he needed a moment to rest. He'd just spent two hours waiting in line. His legs were sore. The old Pikachu had no energy left in him to stand any longer.

He sighed, he adjusted his eye-goggles and stretched out across the bench. Tesla closed his eyes and yawned, then dosed off.

Throughout Tesla's long life, he had seen his fair share of civil rights abuse. The past was no different from the present. Pokémon were expected to be obedient to their trainers, not to roam around a town on their own accord. They were kept tucked away in Poké balls, fed the same food almost every day, and trained to battle other Pokémon for the sport and prestige of their handlers. Tesla had spent several decades of his life with the concept. Though his trainer treated him far better than any trainer he knew, Tesla could still feel the harsh reality of the world bearing down on his head.

And now, after two decades of freedom, he felt he hadn't gotten anywhere with his life. He was still reeling from the loss of his great-great granddaughter, and whatever minor accomplishment he'd done so far hadn't felt as rewarding as it should be. The old Pikachu was tired, drained, he could barely hold a charge anymore.

The old Pikachu sat up and looked out among the crowd. A few folks were staring at him, seemingly curious of him. Tesla looked on with cold tired eyes, then turned away. He doesn't feel like talking, there was nothing to say.

_Should I really pursue this further?_

Technically speaking, there was no _legal _way to get into Soho, and even if he got in, he would be arrested for simply crossing the street. There had to be a better alternative.

Tesla got off the bench and walked casually on all fours toward the woods. Once he was out of sight of the humans, he broke into a run. His aging body may be failing him but his will was still iron-solid. Tesla dashed through the woods, keeping an eye on where the forest began and end. After covering some distance, he popped out of the woods to get his bearings.

There was at least some 50 to 60 meters of clearing from the cinderblock wall, just an empty plot of carefully trimmed grass. Beyond that wall was a human settlement, a community who valued security and safety. This town's only significance was that of being a highly prosperous port, whatever funding Soho earned from the sea trade went into personal protection. Tesla scanned the wall a second time, and saw that there wasn't even a crack in it.

_Not only did they built it, _he thought. _But they keep it so well-maintained that it looked like it was built yesterday._

The inspector said the town was protecting itself against the PRA, but _what _was the PRA? The closer he seemed to get to Soho, the more the acronym cropped up. He had thought about asking, but he got a feeling that may not be such a good idea. There was something about the PRA that was giving Pokémon and humans alike grief in Soho, but what?

Tesla disappeared back into the woods. If the wall was constantly maintained, then there wouldn't be a hole or a crevice he would squeeze through. All minor chips were patched the moment they happen.

_So if I can't get through the wall itself, then I might have to find something that can._

**. . .**

Around the same time when Tesla was turned away, Mark was struggling to keep his head above the water. He clutched his Pokémon with one arm, and using whatever strength he had to keep their heads up with the other. They whimpered and cried, screaming his name in their language. He looked frantically around for Emolga, but there was nothing but navy-blue water and the offending rocky cliff-face. Mark felt his heart sink, wherever Emolga was she had to fend for herself. Right now he must get his remaining Pokémon and himself out of the water before the cops come to collect them.

"Get on my back and hang on!" he ordered his Pokémon.

Mark let go of his Pokémon, the Cheering Pokémon duo and Mouse Pokémon swam around and climbed onto Mark's back. Once he was sure they were on, he puffed his chest and kicked his legs. Having spent a quarter of his life in military school, he was well-equipped for this kind of scenario. His diving instructor, Lieutenant Browns, was one heck of a swimmer. He constantly whipped Mark and his squad buddies into learning the front strokes, the back strokes, the diving methods, emergency escape, ocean survival. The training took three weeks. Grueling as it was, Mark loved it. Which was not a surprise, since he was born and raised around thousands of clicks of ocean.

And now that very same ocean was putting that training to the ultimate test.

With his Pokémon hanging tight to his backpack, Mark swam hard and fast. The waves constantly overlap him, trying to push him into the rocks. Mark steered clear, but it already proved to be a losing battle. One wave rocked him up and shoved him straight for a boulder. He slammed chest first into the rock, Mark grunted, he wrapped his arms around the boulder and hanged on for a few seconds.

_Ow._

He struggled to climb up on the boulder for some breathing room, but another wave smashed against his rear. Mark fell back into the water, somersaulting twice before remerging.

"Guys, you okay!?" Mark cried.

"Plu!" cried Plusle.

"Min!" cried Minum.

"CHUU CHUU!" his Pikachu screamed.

Mark turned back and saw his Pikachu being carried away from the currents. He lurched forward and grabbed his Pikachu by the tail, the Mouse Pokémon sobbed as he pulled her in. "You okay?" Mark asked as he cradled her in an arm.

Pikachu nodded. "Pika!"

Pikachu climbed back onto his back and Mark resumed swimming. This time he swam for the cliff-face. Mark relaxed, he must work with the waves, not against it.

He timed himself carefully. When the next wave rolled over him, Mark jumped hard, swimming in a fast sprint towards the wall. He covered a lot of water in the first few seconds, then slowed as the wave lost power. The next wave came in, Mark picked up the pace. The cliff-face got closer. Finally Mark reached the rock wall, he grabbed onto the cliff-face with both hands. Another wave blast against him, pinning him to the wall, "Hang on, guys, we're almost out!"

Mark climbed along the cliff-face. His hands dug into the rock, the ocean constantly bombarding him with its merciless power. The cliff-face was slippery and there were few hand holds, so Mark pressed his feet against the cliff-face and used the ocean to help him stay on. His Pokémon climbed up to his neck, grabbing onto his backpack and hair. They cried and sobbed, begging him for mercy.

"Just a little farther now!"

His progress was somewhere around a snail's pace, the cliff-face was so vast that it might take hours to reach a beach or a dock. Mark didn't have hours, the ocean was draining his strength. Even if Mother Nature doesn't carry him off, the Unova Coast Guard will, and they'll have the Soho authorities right behind them.

Mark clung to a boulder and rested again, his arms were straining at the seams and his lungs were burning. He must go on, his Pokémon were relying on him. Just when he was about to continue, he heard the buzz of a motor. Mark turned, his eye bulged. A red and white speedboat drove around the corner, the words, _UNOVA COAST GUARD, _wasconveniently labeled on each side. The emergency light was flashing and the sirens blaring._"Hold it right there!" _screamed a voice on the intercom.

"Hold your breath, guys!" Mark cried.

He jumped back into the water and dove straight down, his Pokémon cling to him for dear life as he swam towards the ocean floor. _This is stupid, _he thought, _How did I get myself into this mess!?_

His concentration of thought broke when he got scooped up into a current. Mark's lungs almost exploded when he started tumbling, he felt his Pokémon rip away from him. He looked up and saw of the surface was the silhouette of the speedboat, its propeller churning bubbles as it cruised over him. His Pokémon spun in circles around him, their cheeks puffed up with air.

As Mark reached out for them, the current blast them toward the cliff-face. Mark turned, before him was a gaping maw the size of a city bus. The maw sucked him and his Pokémon in like a large water monster, they went in so fast that there was no time to scream.

Everything went black.

The currents rocked Mark as he tumbled further into the abyss. He smashed against more rocks, Mark covered his head as he spun around in the vicious vortex. His chest burned, he couldn't hold his breath for long.

_Oh sh*t, _he thought. _I'm going to drown in this f*cking underwater cave and so will Pikachu and my Cheering Pokémon! Emolga's going to be all alone, heartbroken. F*ck, I wouldn't even get to say-_

The current had slowed. Mark's eyes popped open, he looked up and saw ripples bending and twisting faint light from above. He spat out foul air and swam frantically for the surface, using up whatever energy he had left. His head broke the surface and sucked in humid air. It was a cavern, a pretty large one too. Stalactites towered over Mark, their tips fined to a point. The cavern glowed with a blue-green nightlight atmosphere. It was humid and cold, but it was better than nothing.

"What a relief!" he told himself.

A second later, Pikachu's head broke the surface. Then Plusle, then Minum. They gasped in fresh air, then cried. Their sobs echoed madly off the cavern walls. Mark grabbed his ears and moaned, "Guys, shush! The cops might hear us!"

His three Pokémon with silent, when the last of their echoes ceased Mark swam towards them and scooped them up. They were beat, they just floated in the water instead of swimming for shore. Mark swam for the rock ledge and hoisted them over, then climbed out of the water.

Pikachu began coughing, spitting out seawater while trying to breathe. Mark patted her on the back, she licked his hand in return. "Is everyone okay?" he whispered.

"Plu," Plusle nodded.

"Min," so did Minun.

"What about you, Pikachu?"

Pikachu nodded, "Pi."

Mark scooped up his Pokémon and stood up. His legs were rubbery, numbed by the cold. Mark stumbled and slammed his bicep into a large stalagmite, his Pokémon nearly slipping out of his arms.

"Pika?" his Pikachu asked worriedly.

"I'm okay," he said. "We just need to get into the sun."

Mark switched on the flashlight on his wrist-bound Pokédex, the tiny flashlight beam lit up the cave like a supernova.

_Thank Arceus it's waterproof._

He walked through the cave, passing more million year old stalagmite and stalactite formations. Mark's Pokémon shivered in his arms, his body heat alone won't warm them up. He picked up the pace, keeping a lookout for sudden drops and loose rocks. Mark imagined what the cops were doing around the cliff-face, probably getting out Swoobats to search the damn place. If they know about the cave, then there wasn't much time till they find him and his Pokémon.

_I wonder if they got Emolga._

That last thought sent a shiver down his spine.

Mark stopped for a moment to rest, he sat down and let his Pokémon slipped into his lap. He turned on the Pokédex's GPS. The words, _NO SIGNAL_, flashed across the screen in red bolded letters.

"How far down are we?" Mark thought aloud.

He killed the screen and held up the flashlight, revealing more of the cavern's mineral features. Mark shook his head and scooped up his Pokémon, then resumed course.

His Pikachu climbed up his shirt and settled on his shoulder. She softly whined as her body shivered, "Chu," she murmured under her breath.

"I'm sorry, guys," said Mark, "For getting you three into this mess."

"Pika Pi," Pikachu padded his head, she pressed her forehead against his cheek, "Pikachu."

"I hope Emolga's alright, she must be worried sick by now."

Up ahead, Mark could make out what looked like faint sunlight. He lowered the flashlight and stepped closer.

The sounds of the coastline sounded crystal-clear. Mark jogged up, his hopes running high.

He was greeted by bright sunlight, its warmth felt ever so pleasant. Mark stepped out of the cave and found himself staring out over the beach. To his right was the ocean, his left Soho, and up ahead was the concrete docks about four kilometers away. The town was small, yet there was so much space. Mark stepped around the sand and slumped into the grass, dumping his Pokémon beside him. "We're in," he said. "We're in Soho."

"Pika," Pikachu chirped.

"Plu," Plusle chirped.

"Min," Minun muttered.

Mark took a moment to relish in the sun, just when he was about to dose off he heard a soft squeak above him. He looked up, a faint silhouette of the Sky Squirrel Pokémon soared over head. It was coming down, fast.

"Emolga!" Mark cried.

He held out his arms, Emolga crashed right into his chest. Mark crashed into the ground and laughed as he and Emolga hugged each other tightly, his other Pokémon sat up and cheered. "Emo!" Emolga sobbed.

"Emolga," said Mark, "It's alright, it isn't your fault or anything. That stunt you did was a smart move, it would've made things harder for us trying to get to shore. I'm glad you're alright."

Emolga smiled with pride, "Em!"

Mark fished out his Poké balls and aimed them towards Pikachu and the Cheering Pokémon duo, "Return, guys!"

Three red beams shot at their respective Pokémon and absorbed them back into their Poké ball. Mark shrunk and pocketed them, then turned to Emolga. "Okay, girl. I need you to hide in my backpack. This is Soho, we would get in trouble if they see you."

"Emo?" Emolga asked.

"I don't know why, just stay hidden until I could find my former squad mate. He's the only person we can trust."

Emolga nodded, then climbed into Mark's backpack. It was soaking wet from the currents, but she didn't seem to mind. Mark started towards Soho, dreading what was waiting for him beyond.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

The Soho Pokémon Center was huge, massive. The structure had a reinforced-concrete shell with a steel skeleton, as if it was built to withstand a direct hit of an artillery shell. The façade was painted sky-blue, which looked beautiful in the dull gray town. Large thorny rose bushes were planted at the base of the windows, they were being constantly watered and well-cared for. Usually a chore performed by Nurse Joy, since it was illegal for her Audinos to step outside the Pokémon Center.

Inside was a massive grand space designed to hold dozens of Pokémon at once. The floor was wooden, the walls painted pure white. A few paintings hung here and there with the occasional potted plant at the corner. On the second and third floors, there were multiple rooms dedicated for surgery and emergency operations. Capping the Pokémon Center was an attic, used to store excess equipment and supplies. The Pokémon Center had more medicine and equipment than it would ever need, however there were very few doctors around to help treat incoming patients. There were only three Audinos serving the Nurse Joy. All had masters and doctorates in the medical profession, receiving more training than the average Audino. Tibia could do brain surgery, Coratid could do heart and lung surgery. Pinki knew how to do a little of the two, yet she was the only one with a steady enough hand to sew small blood vessels and other organs back into place.

Despite being understaffed, the Soho Pokémon Center almost never seen visitors. On most days the lobby was usually empty, save for an occasional sleeping Audino who was on break. With the City Council's policies stripping Pokémon rights, only a trickle of Pokémon would ever travel to the Pokémon Center for in need of help.

Mostly because there were few Pokémon to speak of.

A lot of Soho's Pokémon trainer denizens emigrated, taking their Pokémon with them, and the checkpoints deter other trainers trying to come in. Once in a while a trainer would bring in a Pokémon and the Audinos went straight for routine, but they were mostly the regulars. So for almost seven days a week, the Pokémon Center Audinos either do chores or simply sit around and do nothing. It was a depressing lifestyle.

For Rex Anderson this was appalling. He had seen Pokémon abuse before, but never had he seen an entire town hating Pokémon. Born in Kanto, it took him an hour to go through the process of entry. His Pokémon were screened, their DNA samples put on record, and his ankle cuffed with a GPS transmitter to track his every movement. Rex found it burdensome to wear the cuff, it makes it difficult to put on socks and certain shoes. But to avoid trouble with the local authorities, he must wear it. Taking off the cuff would set off an immediate police response. It didn't matter if it was an accident or intentional. The cops don't care. If that cuff is clipped no matter what reason you would be arrested for being "a threat to the town of Soho."

_Ridiculous, _Rex thought as he sipped his cola.

He walked back into the lobby and sat behind the reception desk. Sitting on the couch was Sara, his Raichu. She was keeping Volts, her Pichu son, occupied by playing with him. But the Tiny Mouse Pokémon's mind was restless, she could only keep him occupied for so long.

"Pichu Pichu Pi," he insisted.

"Rai Rai," Sara sternly say. "Raichu Rai Rai Rai!"

_Those two, _Rex thought. _They're always such a handful._

Rex booted up the computer and went through answering emails. Most of the emails were people asking trivia questions, the rest were either old colleagues asking him for advice or simply saying hi. Once a week, there would be 54 messages in his inbox. Rex took his time answering them all, it wasn't like he had a busy day or anything. Like the Audinos, his days were more of being a custodian than a doctor. Life sucked. His pay was half that of what Pokémon doctor's normally get and his co-workers weren't as social as he expected. They were mostly silent, especially Pinki, who was so quiet he almost forgot she even existed. Rex glanced up to see her cleaning the windows with a vinegar and water solution. She always had a frown, no smile as she was required to wear when on-duty. Yet there were no patients, no visitors, and so it wasn't necessary to wear a smile. Pinki finished cleaning the last window and retreated to the back. She caught Rex watching her. It sent a jolt up the Hearing Pokémon's spine and forced her to retreat. Shyness or paranoia, Rex could tell. Maybe both, or some other reason entirely.

Rex was answering his final email, the front doors slid open. He looked up and saw a raven-haired kid walked in. A Pikachu sat perched on his shoulders. It looked nervous, maybe feeling violated. A girl with large purple-hair and a tall lanky man walked in, the looks on their faces were no different from the Pikachu. Only the raven-hair kid showed a temper, Rex could almost see steam coming out of his ears. He had seen that look before. Another outsider managed to make it through security without being arrested and branded as a potential terrorist. Rex saw that look more than a smile on anyone's face in the Pokémon Center.

Rex shut off the monitor and stood up. "They gave you a hard time, didn't they?"

"What was that all about," the raven hair kid asked. "They treated Pikachu like he was a threat to them."

"Pika Pika," Pikachu nodded sorrowfully. The Mouse Pokémon pressed its face against his trainer's shoulder as he stroke the back of its head.

Rex glanced at the Pikachu again, then turned back to its trainer. "You're from Kanto?"

The kid's expression changed, realizing that he had common ground with him. "Yeah, why?"

Rex stuck out his hand. "My name's Rex Anderson, I'm also from Kanto."

The kid grabbed his hand and shook it, his hand was firm and full of confidence. "My name's Ash Ketchum, and this is my buddy Pikachu. We're from Pallet Town!"

With renewed enthusiasm, the Pikachu shot up and chirped, "Pikachu!"

Rex grinned, "So am I."

Ash's jaw dropped. "No way."

"Born and raised," he stuck a finger towards Sara and Volt, "have the Mice Pokémon to prove it."

Pikachu leaped off Ash's shoulder and dashed for Sara and Volt. They got off from the couch and gave him a curious look, Volt stood up on his hind legs and sniffed him. Pikachu watched in curiosity as Volt gave him his opinion.

"Pichu Pi!" he chirped.

"Pika!" Pikachu chirped back.

"Look," the purple-haired girl cried. "Pikachu likes Pichu!"

"The Pichu's name is Volt, the Raichu's his mother, Sara." Rex turned to Ash and asked, "Are these your friends?"

"My name's Iris," said the purple-haired girl, "and this here is my best-friend Axew."

A Tusk Pokémon popped out of Iris's hair and smiled, "Axew Ew!"

"And my name's Cilan," said the green-haired kid. "I'm the gym leader of the Straton City Gym."

"I was once a medic in the army. I earned my Medical Doctorate before leaving with an honorable discharge," Rex then changed the subject. "Here, you guys must be tired from that wrap with the Soho prefects. Here, have a seat. I'll get the local Audinos in to help you."

"Thank you, Rex."

The Audinos came in and served sandwiches to Ash and his friends while serving Pokémon food for Pikachu and Axew. Pinki stared nervously at Pikachu, as if he would bite. The Mouse Pokémon took notice and asked what was wrong. She muttered something before walking away, a tear trailed down her cheek as she stepped to the next room.

"What's going on with this town," Ash asked. "Why is everyone so . . . mean to Pokémon?"

"Pikachu?" Pikachu added.

Rex sat down on the opposite couch and shrugged. "There's a group of Pokémon who has been terrorizing this town for the past fifteen years. It all started when a Scrafty and his friends took over the nearby abandoned military base. Slowly but surely, they built up their numbers, then began calling themselves the Pokémon Resistance Army, or PRA for short. Their goal, so the leader claimed, was to bring freedom and rights to all Pokémon, making them equal to people in society."

"Equal to people?" Ash asked.

He nodded, "The PRA thought they could scare the town into granting Pokémon equal rights. They set off bombs. Destroyed property, ruined lives. They only succeeded in accomplishing the opposite. Instead of being granted rights, the City Council took them away. Pokémon could no longer walk the streets nor be present in public places. The only exception is here, this Pokémon Center. Nowhere else in Soho where Pokémon can find refuge without a major backslash from the authorities."

"That's horrible!" cried Iris.

Rex frowned, "Look, I have been only over here for a few months now. Nurse Joy and the Audinos have been here since that day. That Audino you just saw crying, she was betrayed by one of her own. The PRA somehow turned a colleague and she…" He paused for a moment, then sighed, "You can pretty much figure that one out."

"Who is the PRA," Ash asked. "I mean, what are they like?"

Pikachu stood up and pouted, "Pikachu!"

"They're mostly small Pokémon that walk on two legs," said Rex. "They look and sound like ordinary Pokémon, the only differences is that they carry _weapons, _such as crossbows, knives, and a few firearms. They are dangerous, Ash. Dangerous and unpredictable. They cannot be reasoned with."

"Surely there had to be a way they could work something out with Soho," said Cilan.

Rex let out a laugh. "The only Pokémon who can be reasoned with is the leader, but he is even more dangerous than his paramilitary group. The Scrafty is unstable, he would go being nice in one second and turn into a violent psychopath the next. He's mentally ill and old. Heck, the PRA fears him more than the town does."

Something clicked inside Ash's head, he turned to Rex and asked, "The leader, his name's really Nobark?"

Rex's eyes went wide. "How did you know his name?"

"I think I've heard of him before."

"He used to be a Pokémon owned by-"

"Irvin Westinghouse," Ash finished.

Rex raised an eyebrow. "So you are familiar with Irvin and his Pokémon."

"Not only familiar," said Ash. "I've met his Pikachu, Tesla."

_Are you bullsh*tting me? _Rex thought, but didn't say. This kid, who grew up in the same town he spent his childhood in, claimed to not only knew the late Pokémon Master but actually met his surviving first Pokémon? Rex have heard a lot of stories about such meets and he had doubts on many of them. But the look in the kid's eyes showed he wasn't bullsh*tting him. Rex got a feeling he was on to something. "You're saying," he began. "That you've met Tesla Westinghouse."

"He's the Pikachu with the lethal electricity and a hot temper. Yes, that Pikachu."

"Pika," Pikachu nodded.

Rex grinned. "How did it go?"

"Bad, at first, but in the end we became close friends."

Rex stared at Ash for a moment, the kid froze. "Let me get this straight," he said. "You've managed to not only tame a Pikachu who has killed countless Pokémon _and _people, but be his friend?"

"I went over this with Tesla, he saw something in my Pikachu that changed him," Ash shook his head and stood up. "Either you believe me or not, he saw the errors of his ways."

Rex nodded. "Either you're a very convincing liar or you are telling the truth. Whatever's the case, you are familiar with Irvin and we both came from the same abode. I guess I had that going for me, which is nice."

The front doors slid open again, Rex turned and saw a man walked through. His skin was pale, his clothes soaked to the bone. He walked in like a zombie, yet his expression was stuck somewhere between anger and disbelief. Either he had come from Agartha's public swimming pool or he had recently went swimming in the sea. Rex stared at him for a few minutes, he began to look familiar. It didn't take long for Rex to recognize him.

"Mark?"

"Rex," Mark smiled. "I'm so glad to see you right now!"

Ash spun around and blinked. "Mark, what happened to you!?"

Mark simply said, "Oh hi, Ash. I see you made it into Soho in one piece, and I've guess you've already got acquainted with Rex Anderson already."

Rex called for an Audino to bring a towel, Coratid came running into the room and handed Mark one. He took his backpack off. It was soaked, covered with salt patches. Mark sat it up against the couch and said, "You can come out now, Emolga."

The zipper opened and a Sky Squirrel Pokémon poked its head out, it looked roughly dry, as if it had avoided the water altogether. Emolga climbed out of the backpack and stretched its legs. When it saw Ash and his friends, its face lit up like a neon sign. "Emo!"

"Hi, Emolga!" said Ash.

"You know who Rex is?" Iris asked.

"He's my old squad mate from military school," said Mark. "We kinda went separate ways after we graduated, but stayed in touch."

Rex and Mark did a man handshake, Mark still had strength in him despite his condition. "What happened to you, Mark? You look like hammered sh*t."

"The inspector caught me carrying illegal hardware at the checkpoint, the police were about to arrest me when I made a run for it. With my Pokémon in my arms, I jumped off the cliff into the ocean below. Emolga here played it smart and glided away, that's why she was high and dry while the rest of us went scuba diving."

Rex chuckled, "You dumbsh*t, just how rough was it?"

"I nearly drowned, but my old military training kicked in and I pulled through." Mark looked around the room, then turned back to Rex. "Is there a restroom I could use?"

"Sure, it's right in the back."

"Okay, thank you."

Mark reached into his pockets and tossed out his Poké balls, two Cheering Pokémon and, unbelievably, another Pikachu, formed before him. They looked worse for wear, still soaking from their swim, but were no less energetic. "Okay you guys, let's go get cleaned up. We've got a lot of explaining to do."

His four Pokémon climbed up fought for a room on his shoulder, Mark scooped up Plusle and Minun in his arms before heading out to the back. When they disappeared into the bathroom, Rex turned back to Ash. "You met Mark in Faraday City?"

"Yes," said Ash.

Rex nodded. "Okay then, that pretty much checks out a good part of your story."

**. . .**

Mark emerged from the restroom 30 minutes later. He wore a white t-shirt and grey sweatpants; his feet were bare, his nails a little long. His skin had returned to its youthful pigment, but the stress from earlier in the day had yet to wear off.

His Pokémon were washed and their fur groomed, their eyes were drooping as they clutched their bellies.

"They must be really hungry," said Iris.

"They are," said Mark. "If anything makes them feel better, it's a big meal. Their appetites are enormous, they eat so fast they looked like they breathe their food in."

"Emo," Emolga nodded.

"They still eat people food, Mark?" Rex asked.

"Yup, they still do."

"And you got your new Pokémon eating people food too."

Mark's Pikachu stared at him, her eyes showing worry.

"Technically she spent her Pichu years eating leftover people food, the transition from rotten to fresh food wasn't that hard."

Rex took a good look at Mark's Pokémon. "Emolga and the Cheering Pokémon looked a little chunkier than I've remembered."

Their black pearl eyes turned to him, but said nothing.

"Well they have gotten a little fat," said Mark. "But I'm not too worried about it. I had nanobots injected into their bloodstreams to clear out any excess cholesterol and saturated fat that had built up in their arteries. They're quite fine, and they're even more cuddlier too."

Rex grinned, "Faraday Island sure does make everyone's lives healthier and happier."

Mark's Pokémon smiled. "Emolga," Emolga cooed.

When the Audinos served sandwiches on the coffee table, Mark's Pokémon rushed up and dug in. They scooped up each of themselves a sandwich and seated themselves on the sofa, then devoured their sandwiches in one big gulp.

"Wow," said Cilan. "Their appetite is enormous!"

Mark laughed. "About a month ago I gave them each a whole pie to eat! I don't know how they managed to eat it all, they must have big stomachs!"

He reached down and scooped up his Pikachu. "Ash, catch."

Mark tossed his Pikachu to Ash, he managed to catch her mid-air. Ash examined her for a brief second, then turned to Mark. "She's wider than I've remembered."

She leaned forward and licked Ash on the nose. "Look at that," said Mark. "She gave you a kiss!"

Ash held his eyes shut as he sat her down, then wiped his nose with the back of his hand. "She's that generous alright."

Mark's Pikachu ran back to her trainer and rubbed her head against his leg. Mark picked her up and sat down on the couch, cradling her in his arms. "They're sweet little things," he said. "They like to be held and get their bellies rubbed. If you know how to handle your Pokémon, you can establish a better connection with them than love alone." He sat his Pikachu down and turned to Ash, "So, Ash, what are you and your friends up to in Soho?"

"We're leaving Unova through Soho's Port," said Ash. "I'm heading back, more like roughly back, to Kanto."

Mark nodded. "Heading home, I see. I understand."

"What about you, Mark," Iris asked. "What are you doing here in Soho?"

"I'm here to locate some . . . uh, leftovers from my parent's generation. I'm trying to track down Nobark, my old mil-buddy here is helping me with it."

"We have a common interest regarding Nobark," said Rex.

"I've been digging around the old Westinghouse Farm for the past few days," said Mark. "I've turned up some handwritten notes and digital videos. Here, I'll show you."

Mark opened up his backpack and rooted around inside, he pulled out a PVC folder and closed it up, "Good thing I put the files in a waterproof bag, I knew I would be taking a swim eventually."

He handed the PVC folder to Rex and resumed going through his backpack. Mark pulled out a paper lunch bag and sat it on the coffee table, the bag was soaked and covered with fine grains of salt and sand, "Damn it."

"What's wrong, Mark?" Rex asked.

Mark reached into the bag and pulled out a .22 Ruger, I sight of it made Ash and his friends freeze.

He ejected the magazine and pulled back the slider, a round popped out of the chamber and fell between the cushions of the couch. "Just as what I feared," said Mark, "Salt and sand has gotten into it, and the magazine as well. This gun will jam if fired."

Rex's eyes went big. "Mark, why would you bring a gun with you!? You know that possession of firearms is illegal in Unova!"

"It saved my life more than once," said Mark. "My Pikachu here was trapped by illegal poachers, I'd used this gun to save her life!"

"Pikachu!" Mark's Pikachu chirped.

"Besides, I need a new knife. The authorities had confiscated mine and I'm practically out of luck without one."

Rex sat down and opened up the PVC folder, he pulled out a stack of handwritten notes. The pages were wrinkled and yellowing with age, and amazingly, still dry. "What are these, Mark?"

"Nobark's handwritten essays," said Mark. "I found them under his bed."

He shuffled through the essays. Some were stapled into packets while most of them were single sheets. Rex skimmed the handwriting. There were essays written in cursive, and some written in print. Some essays were professionally done, though there were a few essays that were sloppy. "These essays look like they were written my different people, Mark."

"Technically they were. But by the same hand, with the same brain."

"Multiple personality disorder."

"In written form."

Rex looked at Mark. "What are you going to do with these?"

"I'm going to confront Nobark about them," said Mark.

"You might as well walk into Fort Wernher and ask the PRA to put a bullet through your skull."

Mark shook his head. "You're right about that, just somehow I must get a hold of Nobark himself. Maybe I could have a Pokémon fly over there and drop in air mail."

"What makes you think the PRA won't shoot them out of the sky? Nobark's paranoid, Mark. There's no telling what kind of personality you will meet from that Scrafty."

Rex stuffed the papers back into their protective folder and handed it back to Mark, he tucked it into his backpack and zipped it up. Mark picked up his gun and stuck it back into its soggy paper bag. "You got a cleaning kit with you, Rex?"

"Yes, I do. Tibia, one of the Audinos, will show you where it is, you're welcome to use it."

"Thanks."

As Mark headed over to the back, Rex turned to Ash. "Mark is just as I've remembered, downright reckless."

"Whatever," Mark smartly called out.

Mark's Emolga started for her trainer, then paused for a moment. She thought it through it for a few seconds before returning to her friends.

"What about you, Rex," said Ash. "Why are you here in Soho?"

Rex sighed, "There is something in Nobark's possession that interests me, and the thing isn't really good."

"How can it be bad?" Cilan asked.

Rex walked around the reception desk and opened a cabinet, he reached in and pulled out a rolled up sheet of blueprints. "Come look at these."

Ash and his friends got up and approached the reception desk, once they'd gathered around Rex unrolled the blueprints and laid them out on the table. Mark's Emolga, Pikachu, and Cheering Pokémon climbed up on the desk, curious for what Rex was about to show them. "See these blueprints?" he asked.

The blueprints looked like a handheld death ray or laser weapon of some sort. What was unusual about it were the body straps and the two electrodes coming out of the rear end. It looked mean and powerful, maybe even dangerous.

Cilan asked, "What is this, some kind of laser?"

"Technically it's a plasma cannon," said Rex. "This is the KVF-TR model. It is said that it was the most destructive handheld device ever built by mankind."

"Whoa," said Cilan. "How does it work exactly?"

"At the precise moment you pull the trigger, it unleashes a bright white column of plasma stretching as far as the eye can see. It turns any organic matter to dust, melt all kinds of metal, and cut right through solid concrete. If you got an army between you and your escape route for example, you could wipe them out with a couple of passes. This is basically a machine of death."

"Scary," Iris shivered.

"Ew," Axew nodded.

"Now from the research I have put together, the previous owner of this gun was Irvin Westinghouse. His part-time from the criminal organization Team Rocket guaranteed access to their special weapons vault. Somehow, he persuaded the scientists to build him such a weapon. But there was a problem."

"What kind of problem?" Ash asked.

"Pika Pika?" Pikachu asked.

"No battery in the world, not even a nuclear reactor, could power this beast," Rex pointed to the electrodes. "See these cords? They attach to the wearer and draw off power from their body, then ram that power through a step-up transformer before blasting it through a silver plate at the tip, launching the beam."

He looked up at Ash and asked, "Tell me, Ash? What does Irvin have that can give such power?"

It only took two seconds for Ash to reply, "Tesla."

Rex grinned, "Yes, the Master of Electricity. Our modern legend here is the only thing who can power it. A normal electric-type can give it a charge, but it would only give off a small fraction of the needed power. Remember that Tesla here is no normal electric-type. That's why the KVF-TR, and it's predecessor, the KVF-FI, is informally called the Tesla Cannon. "

Rex rolled up the blueprints and stuck them back into the cabinet. "After Irvin passed, Nobark somehow got a hold of the Tesla Cannon. I'm not sure if he ever gotten an electric-type to use it, all I know is that he has it stashed away somewhere in Fort Wernher. I have yet to attempt such a search, that place is so dangerous that looking at their walls cross-eyed would kill you."

"Why do you want the weapon?" Ash asked.

"This gun's going to be my ticket to a nice life. Right now I need a new home and some money to cover my medical bills. My job right now is barely paying off my insurance, so I'm going to need to stash up my savings in case something happens to me or my Pokémon." Rex turned to Sara, "You hear that, girl. You might get some extra space to raise a second child."

Sara smiled, "Rai Rai!"

Rex turned back to Ash. "Okay, there's a few rules that I need you to follow when in Soho. Had the grunts stuck GPS cuffs on your ankles?"

"Yes," said Ash.

"Don't worry, those are for temporary visitors. I know it's a nuisance to wear but believe me, you will be accused of attempting harm if you take them off. When it is time for you to leave Soho, the authorities will remove them for you." Rex then added, "Okay, now remember this. When going outside, your Pikachu or any other Pokémon must not be out. When I saw you come in, I nearly jumped when I saw him on your shoulder."

"I tucked him in my backpack to appease the border guards," said Ash. "Then I took him out after some distance from the checkpoint."

Rex shook his head. "Not a smart move. You would be taken into custody for that and have all your Pokémon confiscated. You don't even want to know what they do to confiscated Pokémon, I can assure you that you would never see them again once the authorities nab them."

Ash gulped, "Oh boy, I never thought of that."

"Me neither," said Iris.

Scared for his life, Axew sunk back into Iris's hair.

"Now you can only have your Pokémon out indoors, but a very few public places would allow that. If they do, they must be attended twenty four-seven. Your Pokémon are alright in the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy and I don't enforce Soho's rules. Next thing you must know is that if you walk about in Soho, you would be watched almost constantly. If you stay in a public space for too long, there would be a watch team keeping tabs on your every move. It will take them at least 10 minutes for them to get their surveillance equipment set up to eavesdrop on your conversations."

"Why are the authorities spying on us?" Ash asked.

"They are worried that trainers would carry PRA operatives into Soho. It happened more than once that a trainer would have one of their Pokémon fallen victim to their accursed ideology. I don't know what or how the PRA can make a Pokémon do horrible acts of violence, all I know is that a Pokémon would sneak away set off a series of bombs and return to their trainer like nothing even happened. Despite all the security Soho has put up, the PRA can still get in without much effort."

Ash looked away for a moment, he shook his head. "I can't see how Pokémon would do such things."

"There's a vicious cycle here, Ash," said Rex. "The more Soho cracks down, the more ruthless the PRA becomes. Which prompts more security, which also prompted more terrorist attacks. The whole idea is that Pokémon are inferior to humankind, Soho pretty much represent what they see of the world; the town council are foolishly reinforcing their beliefs by closing themselves off from the outside world, which the PRA interprets that as their greatest fears coming true. It's not pretty, Ash. I'm not going to lie to you, but things are about to get real heated for the next few days."

"Why?" Ash asked.

Rex leaned forward, his voice sounding cold. "Cause there are rumors that the PRA would launch a second invasion."

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

_This is becoming tedious and unfun, _Tesla thought.

He laid on his belly underneath the train car as multiple people walked by. Sweat trailed down his neck. The space between the rails and the train was less than a quarter of a meter. If someone were to discover his hiding place, there would be no easy path for Tesla to run.

Heavy footfalls crunched against the gravel, Tesla held his breath and listened. The footfalls stopped just next to him. He peaked and saw a pair of tan working boots. They were well used, caked with a year's worth of mud. It looked like the owner hadn't bothered to clean them.

Whoever it was seemed to be an inspector, Tesla heard him wrote something down on a clipboard, then sliding open the train car door. The old Pikachu's lungs started to burn. Tesla clenched his teeth, daring not to breathe.

"Hmm hmm," said the inspector, "Looks like everything seemed to be in order."

The inspector walked off, Tesla waited till he got out before gasping for air, "This is stupid," he grumbled to himself. "Stupid as f*ck."

There was a rail system that arched through Soho. The local authorities' influence was more relaxed compared to their ports and roads. A lot of goods passed through Soho, and therefore there must be a large quota for the amount of money that comes through. To make sure Soho meets their quotas of imports and exports, the train system was modernized and only ten percent of the train was ever searched. This way Soho's economy would prosper despite the road and sea restrictions. For some unusual reason, the PRA never bothered to blow up the rails. Tesla wouldn't be surprised if the PRA indeed use the rail system just to get into Soho, as he was doing now.

He sat there for almost an hour now, and so far no one had come along to check under the train cars for hobos and other illegal riders. Just when Tesla was wondering if the train would ever move at all, the whistle sounded. The old Pikachu climbed up onto the undercarriage then settled into a comfortable spot. Within seconds, the train shift and groan. The big locomotive, along with 30 attached train cars, lurched forward. Metal squealed, sparks fly. The air filled with steam as cooling pipes vent excess temperatures away from the moving parts. Slowly but surely, the train picked up speed. The metal box cars burped and grumbled as the locomotive engine tugged them along.

Tesla hanged on to whatever he could, even though the train was going at runner's pace he was having a hard time staying on. He looked down, the gravel below him whipped passed him in a blur of gray. It was clear he had passed the point of no return. Bailing out now would certainly lead to a violent and gory death.

Tesla wasn't swayed, he'd been gambling with his life for so long that he'd developed nerves of steel.

However his stomach had other thoughts.

The old Pikachu felt his belly pucker. Tesla squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth, trying to stop his breakfast from coming out. It made little difference. Tesla regurgitated with the force of a cannon shot and his breakfast disappeared among the rails. He coughed and spat, trying to get air into his lungs. "I hate trains.

**. . .**

Nobark laid on his bedroom floor staring at the ceiling. His arms and legs were spread out, his eyes wide open. Several malicious and benevolent thoughts shoot both hemispheres of his brain, competing for control. Nobark shivered, he couldn't move or speak. All he could do was stare at the flickering light blub that was fixed to the center of the ceiling. The flickering lighting seemed to have made things worse.

_Newcomers newcomers newcomers, _said Anger. M_ore good for nothing grunts I tell you._

_ Have we not went over this? _Nobark thought.

_That Bubbles character could be a spy, _said Imagination. _Then again, that Bubbles could be a friend. There's a whole hodgepodge of possibilities that could happen from here on out._

_ The Bubbles here is heartbroken, _said Confidence. _He would need to have her self-esteem boosted._

_ How about going on a date with her, _Love asked. _A little R&R wouldn't hurt anybody, right?_

_ That's not what he meant, _said Rational. _Any attempt to make a move right now will be doomed for failure._

_ Well it doesn't have to be right away. Like a said, a little R&R at a time._

_ Do you even know what R&R means?_

Love didn't respond.

**. . .**

Nobark squeezed his eyes shut as something shift into his head, then opened them again.

_"What just happened?" _he asked himself.

The Mad Thoughts have gone quiet for now. Nobark forced whatever strength he had to stop him from worrying, he couldn't afford to feel anything right now. He stood up and flexed his muscles, the Hoodlum Pokémon approached his desk and placed both hands on the edge. On the desk was his AK-47, the clip removed, the bolt latched open, with the safety turned off. The drum magazine sat nearby, along with a couple boxes of 7.62mm ammo. Tucked to the edge of the desk were photos from his life before. Pictures of Vines, Med, Fireback, Flashlight, Speedy, and what's-his-face. There were so many Pokémon from so many regions, Nobark couldn't remember most of them.

There was one Pokémon he always remembered. Nobark reached up and picked up a small picture frame. In it, standing in a confident pose with a renegade-looking smirk, was Tesla Westinghouse. Ah, Tesla, his bestest friend in the whole wide world. The very Pikachu who backed him up when in trouble, comfort him when he was sad, and assist him in the most difficult moments. Tesla was always there for him, because Tesla never let him down.

Nobark sighed, he stroke Tesla's forehead with his thumb. The old Pikachu was drunk when that picture was taken. Alcohol would cloud his judgment and numb whatever bad memories he had. Nobark recalled that when the photo was taken, the flash knocked Tesla back and he laughed. Too drunk to stand on his feet, Irvin had to carry him back into the house. He was talkative, happy even. Tesla even cooed when anyone would groom him, as long as he could keep his food down.

_"I missed those days," _said Sad. _"I always missed those days."_

Nobark nodded, _"I hear you, and I missed them too."_

_ "Any chance we would meet him again?"_

_ "I don't know, it's been like – what, twenty years? – Would he be the same old Pikachu I'd remembered?"_

_ "That remains to be foreseen," _said Rational.

"Foreseen indeed," Nobark broke in human speech.

He turned and looked around his room. The walls were bare concrete gray, never had been painted. Trash littered the edges of the room, piling at least a meter high. Empty pizza boxes, used tissues, aluminum and tin cans, even empty bullet casings had piled up. Nobark couldn't remember the last time he had ever cleaned his room, let alone the rest of his personal bunker. Usually someone would come along and clean it up for him, but that someone had never came in decades. So for the meantime, the garbage just sits there, slowly building up with each passing week.

On one corner of the room was his cot: A simple blue mat with a yellowing sheet and pillow. Being born and raised in the wild, Nobark preferred sleeping on a hard surface than an actual bed. Being on beds made him feel like he was sinking into quicksand, and he gets too hot when under a thick blanket. In the old days his trainer had pulled his hair trying to get Nobark suitable sleeping space. After three weeks of trying out mattresses, Irvin went to the hardware store and bought a bag of quick-dry cement and some two by fours. He then built a rectangular mold in the backyard of the farmhouse and filled it with the cement. When the cement hardened, Nobark had to help him carry the slab to the bedroom. It was the best bed Irvin had ever made for him, and since it was cement no other Pokémon would ever sleep in it, which was a nice bonus.

Nobark approached his cot, he noticed the blanket was a little wrinkled. When he bent over to smooth it out, a muscle in his back locked. The Scrafty yelped, he reached over and rubbed the muscle till it relaxed.

"I'm getting too old," he thought. "Way too old."

Someone knocked on his door, Nobark turned to it, "It's open."

The door opened and Smugleaf stuck her head through the door. "You're busy or anything, Nobark?" she asked.

"Uh, no," he said. "Is there anything you need, Smugleaf?"

"I'm a bit worried about Bubbles, sir. I think she's depressed."

"Who's Bubbles?" Nobark asked.

Smugleaf groaned. "The Oshawott that came in yesterday, the one with the pink fur and skin pigment. Wotter killed her trainer and brought her here. She's terrified, Nobark, she won't speak to anyone."

Nobark scratched his head, trying to remember a Bubbles. Smugleaf frowned and said, "You don't remember her, do you."

That was no question. "I guess I don't," said Nobark. "Or maybe the memory is stored in the wrong place. By the way, do you remember how old I am?"

Smugleaf dropped, "You forgot how old you are?"

"It's been years, Smugleaf, years since I've last tracked my own age."

"You're sixty-seven-years-old, Nobark."

Nobark slapped his hands over his ears, "Sixty-seven! I thought I was sixty-three!" He shook his head and took a deep breath. "Never mind. Let's go see this Bubbles, I needed something to focus on anyway."

Nobark followed Smugleaf outside, his eyes quickly singed the moment he stepped into the sun. The Hoodlum Pokémon shielded his eyes, he didn't remember the sun being _that _bright before.

As they walked through Fort Wernher, Nobark glanced across his loyal subjects. The PRA – _his _PRA – worked tirelessly through their daily chores. It was a predictable, around the clock routine. The two major tasks was distributing food and water and resupplying everyone with fresh ammunition. There had been an increase of crossbow bolts in the past few weeks, while the supply of ammo decreased. Nobark hadn't heard anyone complaining as of yet, or maybe he couldn't remember anyone complaining.

Just down the dirt path, a Joltik sat on a metal barrel. It nibbled on the terminals of an old car battery, sucking whatever electrons the battery had left. When the Joltik saw Nobark approach, it smiled. _"Hello there, Mr. Westinghouse."_

_ "Hello to you, too," _Nobark replied in Pokémon speech. After walking some distance away from the Joltik, he asked Smugleaf in human speech, "The Joltik came in a few months ago, right?"

Smugleaf nodded, "He came from that poacher group that was funded by Team Rocket, the little guy was sick when he first stumbled into Fort Wernher. You hooked the Joltik up to Woody's genny and charged it up."

"I remember that, I was surprised how fast his color brightened when he reached maximum charge."

In truth, Nobark could only remember bits and bob from that day. He remembered the Joltik hugging him and all that, but not before or after. He wondered what personality in him snatched his memories of that event, everything was just so mixed and cut up that time seemed to skip itself.

Nobark glanced down and saw his left hand twitching again.

He and Smugleaf arrived at the elite barracks. Only two Pokémon reside here, Wotter and Smugleaf. Their rooms were far apart from each other as much as possible since the two barely got along. Nobark recalled they have a bitter friend slash rival relationship. Wotter wouldn't get along with Smugleaf, though the Grass Snake Pokémon held little or no grudge against the Dewott. Maybe someday they would end their rivalry since Wotter had cooled down in the past few years. Nobark had yet to see that moment happen.

"How's Wotter treating you?" Nobark asked.

"He hasn't spoken to me for the past week now," said Smugleaf. "Not even muttered any swear words at me behind my back. I'm a bit worried."

"Why?"

"If Wotter isn't swearing or making threats behind my back, there is usually something concerning him on his mind. Even after that stint with Bubbles, he has yet to call me a f*cktard."

Nobark smiled, _Even though Wotter's mean to her, she still cared about him. How sweet of her._

Smugleaf opened the door and they went inside. They walked to the first door to the left and Smugleaf knocked. "Bubbles, I'm back."

No response.

Smugleaf opened the door and she and Nobark stepped through. Like Nobark's, Smugleaf's room was crowded with garbage. However the trash was twice as tall and the smell more horrid. Bubbles in question laid on the bed, softly whimpering into the filthy pillow. _Poor thing, _Nobark thought.

He reached out to stroke Bubbles head, but withdrew it when she burst out, _"Everything's dirty! Everything's smelly! I wanna go home!"_

Bubbles let out a loud mournful cry. Nobark grabbed his ears, the concrete walls seemed to concentrate the noise.

_"Please don't cry, Bubbles!" _Smugleaf pleaded.

She reached out and scooped her up in her arms, but Bubbles pushed her away. _"Go away, you're too smelly! Everyone's too smelly! I don't wanna go back out there!"_

Nobark thought for a moment. _"She won't respond to Pokémon words, but what about human words?"_

As Bubbles resumed crying, Nobark said in human speech. "Bubbles?"

Bubbles stopped crying and looked up. Her tear-filled eyes bulge like she had seen a ghost.

"Could you please explain to me what happened?" Nobark asked. "We need to know the details if we are going to help you."

Bubbles wiped a tear away and sniffled, she took a minute to get herself back together before saying, _"I was playing hide-and-seek with Gloria. It was her turn to hide. When I found her, there was an arrow or something sticking out the back of her neck," _Bubbles grabbed her face. _"The blood! Oh, the blood! I never heard that word before until yesterday!"_

Nobark turned to Smugleaf, her eyes were getting ready to tear up as well.

_"Please, Scrafty," _she said. _"I don't know where I am and I didn't do anything wrong. I just wanna go back home so Mommy can give me a bath and tuck me into bed."_

"Gloria's mom?" Smugleaf asked with human words.

Bubbles nodded. _"Yes."_

Nobark turned to Smugleaf, "Escort her home, Smugleaf. If her house is empty, then sit there and wait for them to come back."

"Yes, Nobark."

He then turned back to Bubbles, "Bubbles, if anything bad happens when you head back. You are welcome to stay here if you like."

_"Thank you," _said Bubbles. _"Thank you so much, Scrafty."_

"The name's Nobark, miss."

Nobark turned around and left the room. "I'll leave it to you, Smugleaf."

"Alright, Nobark. I'll see you later."

"Later."

Nobark shut the door behind him, then took a deep breath. _A potential recruit, _said Rational. _You might need her._

_ I do need her, the PRA needs her._

Anger added, _You know what will happen if she returns home, Nobark. Her trainer's mom will kick her out the door. No trainer, no residence. She would be unloved, forgotten. Hark, spare her that moment! Make sure she is spared the fury of the Master Race._

Nobark blinked, "Yes," he whispered to himself. "I'll spare her."

He had lived long enough to witness Pokémon be rejected from their longtime trainers. The goodbyes were hard, rough, and even cruel. But of course, Pokémon are inferior. The trainers only care about their own intentions, not the intentions of their Pokémon. Subconsciously they neglect them, torment them without even knowing. They treated them as tools, weapons, and most of all, baggage. Even the nicest trainer in the world stores his Pokémon in the pocket dimensions of Poké balls.

Something must be done, and done soon.

_Like right now, _said Rational.

Nobark head down the hall towards Wotter's room. With every step, reality seemed to dull and fade. The world lost color, then lose focus. He blacked out without ever hitting the ground.

**. . .**

The bedroom was a little cleaner than Nobark's and Smugleaf's bedrooms save for a few empty beer bottles near the door. Wotter sat cross-legged on his bed, his hands propped on his knees and his ears tuned to the silence.

At least twice a day, Wotter would jog three laps around the perimeters of Fort Wernher. After every jogging section, Wotter would head out to the river to bathe before heading back to Fort Wernher. Since he's a Discipline Pokémon, it was hardwired into his blood to maintain a strict level of maturity and professionalism. Wotter would sit on his bed and meditate for a minimum of thirty minutes. Sometimes he would meditate for sixty, and on occasion, ninety. This is what he does on his free time, sit around and wait fo further orders.

He sensed Nobark approached before he even made it to the door, Wotter opened his eyes and stared at the door. Within seconds, the doorknob twisted and the door opened.

_"Wotter,"_ said the old Scrafty. "_You busy?"_

_"All my chores are finished for now," _said Wotter, _"I'm just awaiting your orders, sir."_

Nobark nodded, his face unchanged. _"You remember where you found that pink thing?"_

_ "The crybaby Oshawott?"_

_ "Yes, the crybaby."_

_ "Of course, Nobark. What is the objective?"_

_ "We're going to start up a barbecue for our bubblegum-smelling piece of sh*t. Go to the fuel storage and retrieve two full cans of gas, then meet me back at my command bunker."_

Wotter grinned, he liked the sound of where this was going. He knew better not to ask questions, it might spoil whatever surprise Nobark had in mind. Besides, Wotter liked surprises. The Discipline Pokémon got off the bed and stretched his legs. _"Consider it done, Nobark."_

When Nobark left the room, Wotter's grin dropped. _"Back to work, I go." _

He reached under his bed and grabbed his backpack. It was a square leather bag worn in from years of use. Wotter had fitted it with Kevlar straps and backing, making it somewhat bullet-resistant. Would it stop a bullet was anyone's guess. With the backpack snugged, Wotter walked out of his bedroom and left the elite bunker.

Fort Wernher's storage warehouse was placed somewhere near the edge of the forest, right next to the armory. Wotter passed it millions of times during his jogging runs around the base. The area was a bit secluded from the rest of the base, not to mention it was a little quiet. He had constantly told Nobark that it was a weak spot in their defenses. Besides the armory, not a single building came within a hundred meters of it. The trenches and pre-built fences nearly cut the building in half, making it slightly vulnerable. Nobark had the outside face of the warehouse boarded and barricaded, though that didn't do much good. There were shadowy corners and small cavities that would suit anyone in setting up an ambush.

He approached the warehouse's garage door and knocked on its metal face. The door slid open and Woody stepped out. There was a bit of oil grease on his face and chest with some soot powdering his gray fur,_"Hello there, Wotter," _said the Timburr. _"What can I do for you today?"_

"_I need a couple of twenty liter gas cans loaded and ready to go."_

"_Gas cans," _Woody asked. _"Why do you need gas cans?"_

"_Nobark's orders."_

The Muscular Pokémon nodded. _"Okay then, follow me."_

Wotter followed Woody into the warehouse. Inside was a massive room with multiple rows of crates and boxes. They were filled and organized with various materials. Food and water were stored mostly in the front, the building materials and fuel in the back, and everything else in between. Due to the vulnerable position of the warehouse, the windows were board from inside and out. What little light available came from the ceiling lights; most had either dead or flickering bulbs that were getting ready to pop. Only three ceiling lamps were functioning properly, which were barely noticeable in the near-dark storage room.

Woody walked over to a shelf and picked up a flashlight. It was three D-cell MagLite, it was all scratched up and greasy from repeated abuse. Woody flicked on the switch, the flashlight gave off a pale beam at barely lit up a meter of open space. The Muscular Pokémon swore as he slapped the flashlight on his palm. _"Damn batteries are eight years old, they don't have much juice left!"_

The Timburr led Wotter towards the back while keeping an eye out for rusty nails and chipped plastic. Wotter glanced at the flickering lights. They turned off and on every few seconds, they buzz and crackle with each flash.

"_So what was it like in the construction industry. Woody?" _Wotter asked.

"_The on-site supervisor kept me and the workers on a tight schedule, I was lifting heavy loads around and getting supplies and lunch to the others. I'm not going to lie, it was harsh and back-breaking work. At the end of the day I would head to bed and collapse, only to find myself feeling sore all over the next morning."_

Up ahead, an acetylene tank had fallen over. Woody shined the flashlight's beam over it as they approached. _"Thankfully that tank's empty, I wouldn't trust it even if it was filled with acetylene."_

He handed the flashlight to Wotter, then reached down to pick it up. Woody stood the acetylene tank upright, carefully pushing it against the other tanks. _"I wonder why these keep falling over, I'll use whatever duct tape we have left to make sure they stayed sealed in place."_

Wotter handed Woody his flashlight back. _"Where are the gas cans, Woody?"_

"_Up here."_

When they reached the end of the row, Woody shined his flashlight over eight gas cans. Wotter picked one up and shook it, there was only a trickle left. He sat it aside and try another can. This one was half-full, not exactly filled to the brim as Nobark hoped but better than nothing.

"_Do we have any more gas?" _Wotter asked.

"_There's plenty of kerosene in stock," _said Woody. _"But we need that for the lanterns."_

Wotter turned to Woody. _"How about butane?"_

"_Smugleaf used up the last bottle yesterday."_

"_Well f*ck, Woody! Nobark's going to be pissed, he's in asshole mode right now and I can't give him a half-empty gas can!"_

Woody growled, _"We haven't had a shipment of gasoline in the last six months, just what do you want me to do about it!?"_

"_Find the siphon pumps and deliver them to my bedroom, I'll see to it we get more gas before the week is out."_

Woody calmed down and nodded, _"Is there anything else you need, Wotter?"_

"_Matches," _said Wotter. _"I know we had a lot of them stocked somewhere."_

"_Smugleaf hoarded them again."_

Wotter grumbled, _"Why the f*ck is Smugleaf doing with all those matches?"_

"_Your guess is as good as mine, but I'm not getting near her to find out," _Woody gulped and looked away. _"The last time was the last time."_

Wotter checked the rest of the gas cans. He found two more cans that were a quarter empty and one can that was three-fourths full. The Discipline Pokémon unscrewed the nozzles and caps and emptied the remaining gas into the half-full one. When the gas reached the maximum safe limit, Wotter dumped the rest into an empty one. _"This should work," _he said as he screwed the safety caps back on. _"I'm going to need those siphon pumps soon, Woody."_

"_I'm on it right now," _said Woody. _"I trust that you would close everything up before leaving."_

Wotter steamed, _"You know I don't fool around, Woody!"_

The Timburr held up his hands. _"Easy there, buddy, I know you don't fool around! Just promise me you bring the gas cans back is all!"_

"_Bring me the siphon pumps and I'll bring them back full."_

"_Deal."_

Wotter picked up the gas cans and carried them out the warehouse. Once he got outside he sat the cans down for a moment and closed the garage door, Wotter then picked the cans back up and headed straight for the command bunker.

**. . .**

The train took its time stopping as it approached the Soho Rail Yard. Tesla breathed a sigh of relief. His chest ached from laying on the bars and his belly felt queasy. Tesla held his head down and barfed a second time, expelling what seemed like last night's dinner and yesterday's lunch out of his system. "This sucks," Tesla moaned, then asked himself. "How come I don't get sick when inside trains but get disoriented when under them?"

The locomotive squealed as it grind to a halt. The whistle tooted twice, then several latches clicked up and down the train. When Tesla was certain the train was in its final position, he climbed down from the undercarriage and stretched his legs.

He stepped out from underneath the train and stood up. Several train cars were parked parallel up and down the rail yard waiting to be cracked open and serviced. Tesla got back on all fours and climbed up on a train car and got onto the roof. As far as his eyes could see there what seemed like kilometers of freight trains going towards a single direction. Somewhere around here there was a way into town. Tesla had to be careful, if he was caught trespassing the police response would be much worse than the cops' in Faraday City. Right now he couldn't afford to take the heat, there was no time for it.

Tesla sprinted down the train cars, hopping from rooftop to rooftop. He ran fast and hard. The last of his nausea subsided as wind blasted across his fur. _Good, _he thought. _I needed relief._

Just when his ailment was lifted, Tesla skidded to a halt. There were some humans up ahead. Two cops, walking side by side. He wasn't sure if they were regional or local cops, all police departments in Unova wear the same color scheme aside Faraday Island. Tesla kept his head down and watched as the cops walked side by side. They carried what looked like Mossberg Persuaders, pump-action shotguns with pistol grips. The persuaders were useful for crowd control when loaded with rubber rounds, but more useful against a Pokémon. A shotgun blast from a persuader can turn a Pokémon his size into mush if loaded with slug rounds.

But that was highly unlikely. The cops couldn't afford damaging the precious cargo so they must be loaded with bird-shot. Tesla kept his head low and waited for the cops to pass.

"Things are a little quiet today," said one of the cops.

"You think the PRA is wondering about?" his buddy asked.

"Feels like the time for it. Keep your guard up, we get an extra bonus if we blast one of them."

_So they do have orders to fire, _Tesla thought. _Things have just stepped up a level._

When the cops' footfalls subsided, Tesla pushed on. He scanned across the rail yard looking for more patrols. Sure enough there was another patrol, this time in a group of three, all carrying persuaders. These cops walked like robots, they had probably patrolled this rail yard so many times their brains were probably programmed to just walk the route. No thinking or anxiety needed, just a shotgun with an itchy trigger finger.

The patrol passed by a minute later. _The whole rail yard is crawling with cops, who knows how many there are in town._

In some ways, the anxiety reminded Tesla during his outlaw days on Faraday Island. The constant nerve of police patrols and the chases upon discovery was exhilarating as it was dangerous. Whatever this PRA had done, it created division here. Pokémon weren't just second-class citizens, they were outcasts. Outcasts treated like potential killers.

Tesla crawled down the train car and sprinted across to another train, then climbed onto its roof and ran parallel down the rooftops. Again he scanned for more patrols. There, two more cops, again with persuaders. They were leaning against the train, simply chatting to themselves. They were talking about local events that had happened in the past week. Tesla didn't pay too much attention, it was until he heard a recent event that got his ears perked.

"Some idiot got caught by Soho Customs with weapons and jumped into the river. I doubt we would ever find his body."

"I heard he was the son of a police officer in Faraday, the kids there tend to inherit their parent's police training somehow."

His buddy laughed. "I'll believe it when I see it."

_Idiot? Son of a police officer? Hmm… _

Tesla's concentration of thought was shattered when a train blew its horn. Startled, he lost his balance and slipped off the train car. He landed on his shoulder on the gravel below, letting out a soft _omph. _

"Did you hear that, Fred," asked one of the cops.

"I heard it," his buddy cocked his shotgun. "Sounds like we got some tangos, cover my six."

_Sh*t. _

Tesla fought the pain in his shoulder as he sprinted down the railroad, he quickly squeezed underneath a train and came out from the underside. He then climbed up a freight car and went prone on the roof, his arms and legs spread out.

He held his breath and waited.

"Looks like there's nothing here," said one of the cops. "Come on, break's over. Time to go back to work."

The old Pikachu waited till the cops got to a safe distance, then breathed. _Almost had a heart attack there, _he thought.

Tesla sat up and chuckled to himself, he walked back to the ladder and got ready to jump down. He froze.

Right below him was another patrol of two. Tesla tried to scramble back on the roof but slipped.

The cops looked up to see what it was, Tesla gave them no time to react. He balled his fist and charged it with electricity. Tesla came down on the cop directly below him and delivered a surgical blow to his neck, pumping both kinetic and electrical energy into his carotid artery. His buddy swung the persuader around, Tesla turned his tail to steel and jammed it into his Adam's apple. The persuader boomed just above Tesla's head, deafening his ears and raining shrapnel on his back.

Tesla hanged on to the unconscious cop's shoulder as he and his buddy dropped like stones. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" he swore to himself.

The officers' radios crackled before an exaggerated voice screamed out of it, "Shots fired! Shots fired! Shots fired in the railyard!"

Tesla thought fast. He grabbed the walkie-talkies off the cops, then undo one of their belts. He bundled them in one arm before scooping up the two persuaders. His ears ringing from the shotgun blast, Tesla climbed back up the freight car and dumped the guns on the roof.

"It came around this way!" he heard a voice called out.

Sirens were already blaring in the distance, growing louder with each passing seconds. There wasn't much time. Tesla took the belt and wrapped it around one of the walkie-talkies' call button, he strapped it on as tight as he can before leaving it on the roof.

"Dispatch, come in!" another cop screamed from another direction. "Repeat: Dispatch, come in!"

_That should keep them disorganized for a while, _Tesla thought.

He scooped up the persuaders and the remaining walkie and placed them on his head, then carefully scampered down the freight car rooftops. An alarm went off in the rail yard as more sirens blare around him. Tesla picked up the pace, he had no intentions on being captured.

"What's going on," cried a cop from below. "How come the radios aren't working!?"

"The PRA is jamming us!" another cop cried.

Tesla held tight to the walkie and the persuaders as he vaulted onto another train. He quickly scanned the rail yard looking for an escape route.

He spotted a nearby warehouse not far from him. It looked high enough to where the police can only get him via helicopter. Tesla noticed a rain gutter mounted on the corner of the warehouse near one of the trains, it looked like it can be used as a ladder.

_My way out._

Tesla vaulted across more trains, scurrying across their roofs with a frantic pace. He held tight to the walkie and the persuaders, they might be his ticket out of this mess.

"Where are they!?" another cop called out.

When Tesla reached the rain gutter, he heard the buffeting blades of the police chopper. He placed the persuaders across his collarbone and clutched the walkie in one hand. Tesla started up the rain gutter, the persuaders pressing tight against his chin as he climbed a steady pace towards the roof. The buffering of the helicopter grew louder, Tesla was certain that it would spot him within minutes. If the pilot had indeed already spot him, the crude jammer made sure he couldn't radio in. But Tesla couldn't rely on that forever.

Tesla made it over the edge and collapsed onto the roof. He looked around, he found a shady spot under a ventilation system that he could take shelter in for the meantime. The old Pikachu tucked the persuaders under his arm and hobbled towards the vents. He crouched and rolled underneath the vents, the helicopter passed overhead seconds later.

Tesla poked his head out and saw the chopper fly away. It circled around the rail yard, no doubt looking for him. The old Pikachu slumped back into his hiding place, his heart was beating out of his chest and his lungs were breathless.

He managed to make a smile and laugh. "Being chased by the cops never gets old," he thought aloud.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

Mark watched from a nearby window as a squad car sped pass the Pokémon Center, its emergency lights flashing and its siren blaring. A guy stumbled out of a shop to see what was going on.

"Get back inside, citizen!" the cop roared at him through his bullhorn.

The guy spun around and dashed back inside, slamming the door behind him. The cop just continued on as normal.

_The whole town's gone crazy, _Mark thought. He stepped away from the blinds and turned to Rex. "What's happening out there?"

"Emo?" his Emolga added.

"When there are reports of PRA activity, the whole town gets locked into Marshall Law." Rex turned to the Audinos, they were shivering out of their skins, "Lock the doors and windows, then shut off the lights. This might be serious."

The Audinos scrambled on their feet. Coratid got the windows while Tibia got the door. Pinki flipped off all the lights, the entire place dimmed to near darkness.

"Rai Rai!" Sara pleaded as she clutched Volts in her arms.

Pinki handed Rex a blanket, he walked up to Sara and covered her and her child with it.

"They're scared," said Iris.

"Axew," added Axew.

"They'd just had a scare with the PRA just a week ago," said Rex. "A crossbow bolt went through that window right there, nearly striking her in the shoulder. I'm still wondering which Pokémon was it who fired the damn thing."

Sara lay down on the couch and cradled Volts in her stubby arms. Mark sat beside her and rubbed down the matted tuff of hair on her head. The Raichu giggled and buried her head under the covers.

Mark asked, "If the town is so protective, how come the PRA can still get in and cause mayhem?"

"They mostly get through via the underground tunnels and sometimes the railyard," said Rex. "Soho can't guard those areas effectively because that would hurt economic trade. Usually one Pokémon would come in at a time, then sit tight for a few days before stirring trouble. It's a cycle that we can easily predict."

"Had any of the PRA tried to take shelter here?"

Rex sat back down on the reception desk and propped his feet on the edge, "Before I came along, they used to do it all the time. What they do is they play with an unsuspecting trainer's heart into thinking they're injured, that trainer would then bring them here so they would be treated. When they're left alone, the Pokémon would raid our medicine cabinets for supplies before sneaking out in the middle of the night.

"I have a good bullsh*t detector, I could tell if one's lying when a trainer brings them in. It's always the same case: I ask the trainer what happened and he or she said that they found the Pokémon hurt in the forest and needed help. I play along for a while, then I notify the authorities."

Rex opened up a filing cabinet and pulled out a flashlight, he unscrewed the cap and dumped out the batteries. "A good way to tell they are PRA is their fur and eyes. The fur would usually be ruffled and filthy, the PRA has poorer hygiene than the average wild Pokémon. I remember one time where a trainer brought a Patrat in, he claimed he found it hurt near the road outside of Soho. He was definitely PRA because his fur was dirty and he smelled like boiled cabbage and sulfur. I nearly vomit when I saw his teeth. Oh my, they were even worse than his fur! Whatever you do, don't ever look into a wild Pokémon's mouth. Ever."

"So what did you do to the Patrat when he came in?" Ash asked.

"Pika?" Pikachu asked as well.

"I did my job," said Rex, "I first gave them a bath and brushed their teeth. Before I stuck it in the bathtub, the water was clear, it looked like swamp water after ten minutes. So I drained the tub, refilled it, and resumed scrubbing until I was sure all the mud was off.

"So far he hadn't shown any hate, he loved it. I wasn't too worried he would turn on me. Nurse Joy explained that the Pokémon Center is neutral ground to them. Of all the bombings that happened in Soho, the Pokémon Center was one of a few buildings that weren't damaged at least once. So I took it easy when handling the Patrat.

"Obviously he appreciated my generosity. In truth the Patrat was in real dire need of care. It had festering sores on his back and legs from a vitamin deficiency, so I after the bath I bandaged the sores and gave him a large bowl of Pokémon food. I wasn't surprised when it hesitated, the PRA tend to avoid Pokémon food because they believe Pokémon food is a symbol of slavery or something. But he ate it, and was somewhat satisfied. I then tucked it in a hospital bed, and left him alone for the night."

Rex shook his head and groaned. "The next day, the bed was empty. Not only was the pillow and bed sheets gone, some of the cabinets were wide open revealing empty shelves. That little thief took a lot of our healing powder and pain killers. Heck, there was barely any morphine left when I took inventory."

"Damn," said Mark, "What a back-stabber."

Outside a squad car blared its sirens as it passed by. "Please stay indoors until further notice," the cop spoke through his bullhorn. "Anyone caught outdoors before the all-clear will be prosecuted!"

"How long will this go on?" Ash asked.

"About all day," said Rex, "If the cops can't find anything in the next hour, they would step up patrols and start curfew an hour early for cautionary sake."

Ash shot out of his couch, "That isn't fair!"

"This town's been attacked so many times that the people here _welcomed _it. A lot of people here lost friends and loved ones to the PRA, they'll sacrificed whatever rights they have to protect what's left."

"It's not like Faraday Island, Ash," said Mark, "When Tesla turned outlaw, the provincial government simply bolstered their law enforcement. There was no need to change the laws since Faraday Island was big, and there was just Tesla to worry about. Soho has to worry about an entire _army_ of outlaw Pokémon, and this is a small city with limited resources. They have to be harsher than Faraday Island if it's going to stay afloat."

Ash grabbed his hair and sat back down, "There's gotta be something we could do to bring peace."

"That's not going to happen, Ash," said Rex, "The PRA wants to convince the world into their demands, not just Soho. Even if they manage to make a peace agreement with Soho, the PRA will just move on to the next town and terrorize that, and the process starts all over again."

Cilan thought for a moment, "So the only solution is to defeat the PRA."

"Nobark specifically," said Rex. "If Nobark is defeated, the PRA will dissolve. No more bombings and Pokémon attacks. No vandalism or theft. Nothing."

Mark rubbed his Emolga's ears and scratched her back, she rested her head on his thigh and cooed. "My father and grandfather had a close relationship with Irvin's Pokémon," said Mark. "From what I was told, Nobark was happy to see them every time they came to visit. If I could somehow get Nobark alone and play that card, we might as well convince Nobark to turn himself in."

"He will be executed if he turns himself in," said Rex.

"Yet Nobark's mentally ill."

"Which makes him irrational and impossible to reason with."

Ash lay back on the couch and stared at the ceiling. "Nobark is Tesla's best-friend, maybe if we get a hold of Tesla-"

Mark stamped his foot down and shot a finger at him. "That is a brilliant idea there, Tesla and Nobark are practically best buds! Surely that old fart can talk some sense into Nobark!"

"Is Tesla reasonable?" Rex asked.

"Ash made him reasonable."

Rex shot a look at Ash, then nodded, "Yes, that might work. Though I doubt the outcome would turn out something good, but it might – _just _might – actually work."

"There's only one problem," said Mark.

"What's that?" Ash asked.

"Where is Tesla right now?"

**. . .**

Two hours had passed and police activity had yet to let up. The sirens had tune down but the flashing lights hadn't. Helicopters swept by every few minutes, Tesla scooted as far as he could possibly get into his hiding place as their shadows grazed over the warehouse roof. It was nerve-wracking. It was like being stuck on Faraday Island again, running for his life as the police and bounty hunters scour the forest for his tail. But this was different. The police here were more aggressive and less forgiving, there was no telling what they had in store for him.

The walkie-talkie crackled and a voice spoke, "Comm check."

"Copy," said Dispatch.

"Someone rigged one of our radios to jam the signals, the PRA's getting wiser on us."

_They found the trail, _Tesla thought.

A loud booming voice crackled over the radio, Tesla had to turn it down so his wouldn't burst, "This is Chief Hattricks, expand the search zone. Find any PRA operative hiding in the area and flush them out, we'll keep this up all night if we have to."

_Definitely not like the FPD._

There was no way out. The whole town was sealed off with cops around every corner. He was boxed in, his options limited. The inspector firmly explained that he would be executed if caught. Then again, he had just attacked two cops, which would prompt the local law enforcement to open fire on sight. Tesla played with his choices. Should he surrender to law enforcement or fight his way out of Soho, knowing each choice might end in certain death? Tesla sighed, the police weren't going to back down on this. He had rattled their cage, they're going to tear the town apart brick by brick till he turn up.

Tesla stared at the walkie for a few minutes, he stroke his thumb over the call button. He had a way to communicate to them. But should he take that risk? A talking Pokémon was something they don't need right now. How would they respond? If they figured out he has access to their comms, they might order radio silence and all hope of survival will deteriorate. Tesla scooted into the vent as the helicopter passed overhead again. This was getting ridiculous, he need to make a decision.

"F*ck this."

He pressed the call button and raised the walkie, "You don't have to look for long."

"Who is this!?" Hattricks's voice barked out of the speaker.

"I'm the bastard who raised the alarm, that's who."

Hattricks took a moment before responding. "Who are you!? My officers who were attacked say it was a yellow rat!?"

"I'm the yellow rat in question."

"You're dead! You hear me!? DEAD!"

Tesla snickered, people with that kind of temper always made him laugh. "Whoa, easy there, Chief. Let's sort this out like reasonable folks."

"Just who are you!?" Hattricks asked for the hundredth time.

"Tesla Westinghouse."

The walkie went silent. Tesla waited for a minute, still no response. "Chief Hattricks, do you copy?"

"Yes, I copy." he replied, this time sounding calmer.

"You said something about the PRA," said Tesla. "Who are they and why are they a pain in your ass?"

"The PRA is the Pokémon militia that's been terrorizing this town, their leader is a Scrafty with an unstable mind."

Tesla's heart sank, he had heard the rumors and the claims but this confirmed his worst fears, "Nobark," he breathed.

"Yes, that's what he calls himself. Is this why you're here, about Nobark?"

"Chief, with all do respect, I had my head in a hole for twenty years. I don't know what is going on or what is happening, but as far as I could tell, it looks like my trainer's worst nightmare has just come true." Then Tesla added, "I'm not saying any more until we meet face-to-face. I need you to call upon someone and put him on the radio."

"Who is he?"

"His name is Rex Anderson, he works at the local Pokémon Center. You get him on the radio, then I'll turn myself in."

"How do I know if I can trust you?" Chief Hattricks asked.

"Your officers have me pinned to a corner, they would turn me into Swiss cheese if I try to make a move," then Tesla said. "Now get me Rex Anderson, over and out."

**. . .**

Anderson opened a cabinet and pulled out his prescription medication. He popped open the white cap and dumped two red and green capsules into his hand. Rex held them up, stared at them for a second, then tossed the pills into his mouth. He stuck the pills back into the cabinet and sipped a glass of water. When he sat the glass on the counter, sharp pain ripped into his forearm. Rex clenched his teeth and gripped the damaged nerve, hoping for his meds to kick in.

The pain passed after a minute.

"Is something wrong, bud?" Mark asked as he walked into the break room.

Rex took his medication and stuck it into his pocket. "Nothing, Mark, just an old wound acting up."

"What happened?"

"Back in my army days, my squad and I went to invade an island. An explosion threw me off a balcony and a piece of rusted rebar impaled my forearm."

Rex pulled up his sleeve and showed him. Mark made a face. Engulfing most of Rex's forearm was a thick scar. It was discolored, yellowish looking. "It looked like it got infected," said Mark.

"It did," said Rex. "Nearly lost it too, those were bad days."

He pulled his sleeve down and dumped out the glass of water in the sink. "So how are things at Faraday Island, Mark? How's your old man?"

"We've been busy," said Mark. "Both of us are often at our jobs, we've barely seen each other."

"You're working as a technician?"

"Yes, at an auto-shop. I'm trying to work my way to be an electrician at the Faraday Hydrogen Power Plant."

"Good for you."

Mark approached the vending machine and stuck a few coins into the slot, he pressed the diet coke button and the machine ejected the desired drink. He popped open the can and sipped it. "I've been thinking lately."

"On what," Rex asked.

"About the sh*t I've inherited and my place in it all."

Rex shrugged. The last he recalled Mark from military school was that he was as ambitious as well as self-centered. He wanted to make the best of what he had and improve anything that what he views as faulty. Mark took his military training seriously, worked at it too. Not to mention he never shuts up about that Emolga of his.

"From what I see it," said Rex. "Everything you've been working for is held together by prestige, reinforced by your family's past."

"I was getting that notion as well," said Mark.

"And your new Pikachu, how is she wrapped up in it?"

Mark raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"I saw her flinch when Tesla's name came up."

"Oh, she's Tesla's great-granddaughter. He personally oversaw the capture process and everything."

Rex asked, "How did you catch her?"

"She fell in love with me," said Mark. "Every time she looks at me with those black marble eyes of hers they fill up with pink hearts. She's the most loving Pokémon I have ever seen, Rex. She's so loving in fact that she doesn't get jealous when I gave my Pokémon a little more attention on some weeks."

"How is she getting along with your other Pokémon?"

"Surprisingly well, Pikachu and Emolga play with each other and we snuggle together in bed every night."

Rex laughed, "You haven't changed much."

"Neither had you," said Mark. He sipped his coke and glanced out the window. "The sirens have died down out there."

Rex peaked out the window. Indeed, the sirens had died down. "I've noticed your Pokémon are chubbier than I've remembered," he said as he gazed out into the street."Your Pikachu for instance is a little wider than Ash's Pikachu."

"I let my Pokémon live a little," said Mark. "Not only do I let them have their cake, I let them eat it too."

Rex turned to him, "You gotta watch what you feed your Pokémon, if they get any more fatter they're going to have trouble walking, and not walking would give them health problems."

"Like I said before, I have the nanobots to take care of them."

"Sure, nanobots can cure their excess cholesterol and whatever crap they have in their arteries. But what about diabetes? What about gout?

Mark frowned, "Have you gone doctor on me, Rex?"

"I am a Pokémon Doctor, Mark. It's my job to worry."

Mark held up his hand. "Please, Rex, don't say it too loud. I don't want my Pokémon to feel concerned, they are already in much trouble as it is."

Rex shook his head. "Your Pokémon's more worried about you than themselves. I don't know how you did it, Mark, but I never seen any Pokémon be so loyal to their trainer."

"I'm more of a close friend than a trainer to them."

"A close friend who lets them get fat and lazy without a care in the world."

Mark laughed, "Best description of me yet."

Ash ran into the room, his eyes wide open. "Rex, the police are knocking on the door!"

Mark's eyes bulge open, "Oh sh*t!"

He chugged his coke and threw it in the trash can, then whistled for his Pokémon. His Emolga, Pikachu, and Cheering Pokémon came running into the room within seconds. Mark had their Poké balls out and ready, "Pikachu, Minun, Plusle, return."

When the red beam reabsorbed them back into their protective spheres, Mark scooped up Emolga and turned to Rex, "If the cops find me Rex I am good as dead. Remember, I'm not even here."

"Run upstairs," said Rex. "Get as high as you can go and stay hidden, just don't touch anything unless you have too."

Mark cradled his Emolga and dashed up the emergency stairwell. Rex and Ash returned to the lobby and approached the main entrance. He pressed a button and the doors slid open. Rex's jaw dropped. Before him was a large muscular-looking police officer. His tan uniform pressed and decorated with velvet badges and other insignias. Several other cops stood behind him, all were carrying submachine guns and long-barreled shotguns. At first Rex thought they were here to make an arrest, but the big muscular cop stuck out his hand. "I'm Police Chief Hattricks of the Soho Police Department, are you Rex Anderson?"

Rex shook the chief's hand. "Yes, sir," he said. "What's going on out there chief?"

"I got a problem that I need your help with," said Hattricks. "Something happened at the rail yard which got the town riled up. Do you by chance know of someone named Tesla Westinghouse?"

Rex's eyes bulged. "Yes sir, I've spoken to him on the videophone two weeks ago!"

"Tesla's here?" Ash asked.

Hattricks nodded, "He's here in Soho, illegally. Apparently he has something in store for our Scrafty friend and the PRA. Before he can explain the details, he wants to talk to you first."

"Why, sir?"

"I don't know, he only brought up your name and said to get you in touch with him. He didn't say why."

Ash quickly ran up and stopped before Hattricks. "My name's Ash, I'm a good friend of Tesla."

Pikachu jumped up on his shoulder and chirped, "Pika!"

The cops behind Hattricks aimed their guns at Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon's eyes sunk into his skull and shriveled. Hattricks's expression remained unchanged. "I know who you are, Ketchum," said Hattricks. "I saw you on the news, they say you got Tesla that pardon."

"It was a hard process," said Ash.

Hattricks scanned Ash from head to toe, then asked, "Do you love Pokémon, Ash?"

Ash nodded, "Yes, sir."

"Pika." Pikachu chirped.

"Then keep a close eye at your Pikachu there, the PRA's hatred for humans is so great that they will kill the Pokémon who serve them."

Ash gulped and stepped back, he opened his mouth to say something else but Rex shot him a look. The kid sighed and turned away. "Okay," said Rex. "What do I need to do?"

Hattricks pulled out a walkie-talkie and handed it to Rex. "Negotiate with Tesla. If he trusts you and Ash here, then you save me and this town a lot of trouble. Just don't screw this up."

Rex nodded as he pressed the call button. "Anderson to Westinghouse, do you copy?"

"Rex," squawked a loud hoarse voice, "Rex, is that you?"

"Yes, I'm here, and I have the cops with me. They say you're up to no good."

"I ballsed up trying to sneak in, and now I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place."

Ash reached out for the radio, but Rex waved him away. "How are you feeling?"

"Hungry and pissed, and the whirlybirds aren't making things any easier."

"Are you armed?" Rex asked.

"Yes. Two Mossbergs E500 Persuaders, both fully-loaded with birdshot. One shot had been discharged, at me."

"Is there anything you want me to do?"

"When I turn myself in, you are going to handle me and only you. I need to have some sort of buffer with the cops because my history with the law isn't in good standing."

"I think that part of your history is the least of their concerns," said Rex.

"Whatever," then Tesla asked. "So are you going to help me or not?"

**. . .**

Bubbles hadn't said much besides telling Smugleaf where to go. The Grass Snake Pokémon held her hand as they walked through the forest. Several times she had tripped and almost fell, but Smugleaf caught her before she scraped a knee or elbow. Bubbles politely thanked her and moved on.

The forest was quiet as usual. Fifteen years earlier the woods here used to be home to a variety of wild Pokémon. She hadn't been around long enough to see what the forest was like before. From what Wotter told her the PRA had drove out the wild Pokémon, and those who refused to leave were assimilated into the militia. Smugleaf asked if Nobark had anyone put to death. Wotter wouldn't say, he just stared at her for a brief moment before walking off. Whatever really happened, a part of Smugleaf didn't wanna know. She didn't bother asking Nobark about it, as the Scrafty was unpredictable with certain questions regarding his judgment.

On occasion Smugleaf would try to find an old burrow or den of these wild Pokémon. She had found a few, rotted and decayed, lacking life. A part of Smugleaf felt sad every time she stumbled into one, there used to be a family living in those abandoned burrows. Now that family is gone, and whatever's left is now a conscript in the Pokémon Resistance Army.

Bubbles was far too young to notice the derelict nests, but she was all too familiar with the concept of family. She had one once, an eight-year-old girl who was once her trainer, who had a big house full of food and beds and baths. Now that trainer was gone, but there was still the house. Smugleaf hadn't asked what Bubbles was going to do when she got back home, maybe she had no idea what to do.

_"Who was your trainer," _Bubbles asked, breaking the awkward silence between them.

Smugleaf jumped, but quickly gave an answer. _"Alice Stucky, she was fourteen at the time."_

_ "What was she like?" _

_ "Pretty much like what you described your trainer, but everything was green instead of pink."_

_ "Did she had a mommy too?" _Bubbles asked.

Smugleaf nodded, _"Yes, she had, and she also made good meals."_

The Snivy saw the confusion on the Oshawott's face, she shrugged and asked, _"How long did she had you?"_

_ "Only for a few weeks," _said Smugleaf. _"I was much younger than you at the time, and like you, the world revolved around her."_

_ "She named you Smugleaf?"_

Smugleaf nodded, _"Yes, she did, and I still wear that name with pride."_

Bubbles squeezed her hand. _"It's not that far now."_

Smugleaf looked around, the grass was more groomed and the bushes were trimmed. They must be on her trainer's property now. _"If you mind me asking, what were you and your trainer doing out here?"_

_ "Hide and seek," _said Bubbles. _"It's a fun game, have you ever played it?"_

_ "A different kind of version, it's anything but fun. The rules go: If you get caught, it's the end of the line."_

Bubbles squirmed, _"Sounds scary."_

_ "It _is_ scary, remember when Wotter bagged you?"_

_ "I was terrified."_

_ "That's basically what happens when you're caught, except you might not live to tell the tale about it."_

Bubbles gulped, then looked away.

_"Bubbles," _said Smugleaf. _"I know the world is a scary place, but don't get me wrong. Stuff like this happens occasionally, but not every day or every week. Wotter may be mean and quite a bastard, but he was not always like this. He was much like you, and he tried to hold onto that personality for some time after he evolved."_

_ "What happened to him?"_

Smugleaf shrugged, _"I don't know, that was before my time. Nobark saw the whole thing himself so you might wanna ask him. If you have real nerves of steel, ask Wotter himself."_

Bubbles hesitated. _"I don't think I want to."_

_ "You'll find he will mellow down a little after he tells you his story. Before he told me what happened to him, he was ruder and tried to violate me."_

_ "What do you mean by violate?" _

Smugleaf simply glanced at her. _"He tried to put his hands where they shouldn't belong. But of course, I got the better of him."_

Bubbles's eyes widened, then looked away. Smugleaf chuckled and wrapped an arm around her. _"Don't act so vulnerable, it would make your life a whole lot easier."_

_ "Do I even have a life anymore?" _she asked.

Smugleaf didn't respond, she wasn't sure how to answer that question.

When they got closer to the house, Smugleaf could tell something was wrong. The air smelled like burning leafs and tar, she looked up into the sky and saw a column of dark gray smoke rising towards the sun. Her brain was spraining a lobe. Just what was happening?

_"Hey, Bubbles?"_

Bubbles was already running on her feet, her body waddled as he sprinted toward the house. _"No, please no!"_

_ "Bubbles!" _Smugleaf cried.

Smugleaf chased after her, he plowed through several vegetation and made it into a clearing. Bubbles stood there, fixated at the house with horror.

The whole house was ablaze. Black tongues lick out of the windows and doorways. The sidings melted and flake away. The shingles melted and broke off. The rain gutters fell apart, collapsing to the ground under their own gravity. Smugleaf could not believe it, she had seen house fires before but this was different. This was where Bubbles had a life, her trainer, and her trainer's mommy. Everything she had, everything she'd done was going up in smoke. Whatever she had left of her trainer burned before her very eyes.

_"Mommy!" _

Bubbles tried to run into the burning house. Smugleaf uncoiled her Vine Whip and ensnared the desperate Oshawott. _"No," _she cried, _"We gotta help her!"_

_ "We gotta get out of here, Bubbles," _Smugleaf warned. _"The authorities will come and can us!"_

_ "But my-"_

"Bubbles," Smugleaf broke in human speech. "This is not the time to grief. If the cops find us they will shoot us on sight, they will think we did this!"

_"Why!?" _Bubbles asked.

"Cause that is the mindset around here, now let's go!"

Smugleaf hurried back into the forest, carrying the crying Oshawott with her.

**. . .**

Tesla told Rex where to go, he sat in the back of a police van as the driver took him toward the rail yard. Ash and his friends said not a word, they were nervous, mostly for their Pokémon's safety. Rex caught Ash clutching tight to his Pikachu, he sat a hand on his shoulder and told him to relax. That seemed to have little effect.

The van pulled down the street and parked just across from the warehouse where Tesla was taking shelter. The driver got out and opened the door for Rex, he stepped out and raised the walkie, "Okay, Tes, I'm here. Where are you?"

A shotgun blast boomed across the sky, everyone turned towards the shot. "Right up here."

Hattricks got out of the van and spoke into the walkie, "Okay, Rex is here. You better come down here now."

"I won't until Rex shows himself."

Police surrounded the warehouse on every corner, their guns were drawn with their fingers over the trigger. A chopper flied overhead, fixating on the roof of the building. "I have visual, Chief," said the pilot. "He is indeed armed."

"I'd rather use a Thunderbolt to blast you out of the sky," Tesla grumbled. Then he said, "Okay, Rex. I'm going to unload the persuaders and throw them over the roof. Once those guns hit the ground, I'm going to come down nice and steadily on the north side of the building. Rex, you better be down there when I stick my head out."

Rex jogged around the building and found the ladder, "I found it, I'm right at the bottom. Where are you?"

At the top of the ladder, a Pikachu with black steampunk goggles poked its head out. Rex waved and it waved back. He watched as the Mouse Pokémon held the walkie to his mouth, "Good to see you in person, friend. Look, I spent two hours riding the underbelly of the train and I hadn't ate anything since this morning. Once I get down, you take me to the Pokémon Center and fix me up. I don't wanna be moody when I clear things up with Hattricks."

Tesla withdrew for a few seconds, "Okay, I'm throwing the guns over, unloaded, with the chamber locked open. Be ready to catch them."

The old Pikachu threw over the first shotgun, spinning end over end as it fell. Rex got underneath it and caught it with one hand, he propped it up against the building and raised the walkie. "Okay, got one."

Tesla threw over the other, Rex caught it without difficulty. "Got the other."

"I'm coming down, Rex. Is the Soho PD giving you space?"

Rex looked around, the police were just across the street. They took cover behind squad cars, their guns pointed right at him, "They're keeping their distance."

Tesla appeared again, he kicked over the shotgun shells over the side. They dropped and clattered into the gravel below, "I'm coming down, get ready."

Rex expected Tesla to climb down the ladder, but instead he leaped off the roof. His arms and legs spreaded out, with his walkie-talkie clamped in his hand. Rex scrambled underneath him and caught the old Pikachu with open arms. Tesla looked up at him, his eyes looking similar to his own Mice Pokémon, "Leave the guns and ammo for the police, just get me to the Pokémon Center, Rex."

Rex nodded, then said, "By the way, Ash Ketchum and Mark Kissinger are here. Don't say anything about Mark, he's in deep sh*t as well."

"He's always in deep sh*t."

Rex shrugged, "Tell me about it."

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6_

When night fell, Fort Wernher went dead. Due to the shortage of diesel fuel, the fort's outdoor lamps were kept off. Kerosene lamps and fire pits were used as an alternative lightsource. A few Pokémon gathered around some of the fire pits, either cooking dinner or having casual talk. Four nocturnal Courting Pokémon flied above, scanning for potential trespassers. Their sonar's scanned in and around Fort Wernher, continuously checking the PRA to see if everything's alright.

Wotter and Nobark walked into the warehouse a couple hours before midnight. Woody let them in and guided them through the warehouse. He kept an electric lantern held high as they navigated the darkened hallways of Fort Werner's storage facility. They approach the base's fuel storage area and Wotter and Nobark sat down full gas cans, _"Oh," _said Woody, amazed. _"You filled them up."_

Wotter handed Woody his siphon pump back. _"It took us all day to fill them up. But like I said, I will return with full gas cans, and here I had."_

Woody nodded, _"Thank you, the more gas cans you fill up the more I will have to restart a genny for my refrigerator."_

Nobark patted Wotter on the back. _"I'm heading to bed, good night, Wotter."_

_ "Night, bud."_

The Hoodlum Pokémon walked out of the warehouse, his left hand twitching along the way.

When Nobark shut the door behind him, Woody turned to Wotter and asked, _"You're good for tonight?"_

_ "I'm good, I'll see you tomorrow, Woody."_

The Timburr nodded, _"Thanks again for the gas, friend."_

Wotter said nothing as he left the warehouse. He headed over to the elite barracks and walked into his room. He opened up a cabinet and pulled out a large cooking pot and a molding luffa. As he headed back outside, he passed Smugleaf's room. Someone was crying inside. Being curious, he propped an ear on the door and listened.

_"There there," _he heard Smugleaf say. _"Everything is going to be fine."_

Wotter grumbled under his breath as he stepped away from the door and went back outside.

He made his way across Fort Wernher and approached the water tank. It was a giant plastic container mounted on the back of a rusting pickup truck. The PRA members come here with buckets and pots for water to use for bathing. Not that many Pokémon bothered to wash, they weren't patient enough to heat up the water. And so the tank mostly stayed full and all of Fort Wernher smelled putrid. Wotter placed the pot below the spout and twist the knob. The water came out like a torrent, filling the pot within seconds.

He then turned it off and carried the pot over to a campfire. A Tepig was already using it, he was just sitting there warming his stubby little feet when Wotter approached.

"_Move it, you fat f*ck!" _the Dewott barked.

The Tepig shot a look at him. He knew it was a losing battle. The Fire Pig Pokémon got up and walked away, steam steadily flowing from his ears.

Wotter threw some more wood into the campfire, then stuck the pot on top of it. He collapsed on his back and groaned. Everything felt sore, Wotter strained his back from carrying those gas cans around all day. He laid there for a moment, then sat back up. Wotter stared at the fire as it licked the cooking pot, warming up the water within. The embers danced and twirled, belching black soot into the night sky. He had repeated this ritual for twenty years now. Each time was no different from the last, just waiting for almost an hour for the water to heat up. Wotter couldn't stand it, though he did not want to go to bed with all the grease in his fur.

_It's so hard to get clean these days, _he thought.

_"You got room for one more?"_

Wotter turned and saw Tendon approach, the Audino waddled as she carried a six-pack of beer in her hand. Tendon was Fort Wernher's only medic for fifteen years now. Having been originally trained as a Pokémon Center assistant, her skills proved invaluable. Get a cut, she stitch it up. Get an infection, she cut it off. Feeling ill? Here's a little healing powder. Feeling lonely? So is she. So why not climb into bed with her?

Wotter managed a smile, then turned back to the fire. _"Yeah, I have room for one more."_

Tendon sat down the beer down, then sat behind him. She gripped Wotter's shoulders and flexed the muscles on his back, the Discipline Pokémon felt the tension get relieved in his back. Tendon had been his close friend ever since she came in. She had that renegade personality, a bit naughty to the casual observer. As far as Wotter could tell, she hated rules. She couldn't stand the diet and hours the local Nurse Joy provide. Tendon had thoughts, lustful thoughts. Certain cravings that she couldn't satisfy under Soho's shadow.

No wonder it was so easy to persuade her to join the PRA.

_"How was your day?" _Tendon asked.

_"Tiresome work," _said Wotter. _"I went and got some more gasoline for Woody, I think I pulled some muscles in the process."_

Tendon gripped and massaged his shoulder-blades with her thumbs. _"That's why I'm here, right?"_

_ "That's not the only reason, Teddy."_

The Audino wrapped her arms around Wotter's back and chuckled, the Dewott could smell the alcohol in her breath. She had been drinking not too long ago. Alcohol really spruced up her mood. _"Of course not," _she said. _"I'll tuck you into bed if you want me to."_

Wotter laughed, _"That won't be necessary, but I'll appreciate it."_

Tendon kissed him in the back of his neck. _"I heard you brought in a new recruit."_

_ "This one's a curiosity," _said Wotter. _"A pink Oshawott. Can you believe that? I'd never seen a pink Oshawott before in my life!"_

_ "It's a recessive gene, I've studied shiny sprite cases back in medical school. I've heard they sell a lot of money for these kinds of sprites on the market," _then Tendon asked. _"What's the Oshawott's gender?"_

_ "Female."_

_ "Personality?"_

_ "An innocent child."_

Tendon kissed the back of his neck again. _"How is she?"_

_ "Depressed, but Smugleaf's taking care of her."_

_ "Maybe I should pay her a visit, see what I can do."_

Wotter chuckled, _"Then you might wanna save that six-pack then."_

_ "Oh I'm planning on slamming them all down tonight."_

_ "Mind if you share?" _

_ "Go ahead, knock yourself out."_

Wotter and Tendon talked about other things, and after having a few drinks the two kissed and cuddled by the fire. A few curious onlookers saw what was going on. A few even cheered. Those who got too close were greeted by a flying beer bottle to the face.

**. . .**

Tesla was just finishing off his fourth PBJ sandwich. Rex tried to offer him Pokémon food, Tesla flatly refused. He wanted PBJ sandwiches instead. When Rex asked him how many, Tesla said four. "Four?" Rex asked in surprise.

"Yes, four," said Tesla. "And a tall glass of orange juice as well."

Tibia made him the sandwiches within minutes, and Tesla downed them all within twenty. Rex just stood there and watch the old Pikachu stuff his face. A human being would normally feel full after two or three sandwiches but Tesla ate his fourth sandwich with ease. He sat back and awed, then sipped his orange juice. "Peanut butter," he said. "Oh I love peanut butter, it taste better when mixed with jam."

"You sure are hungry," said Rex.

Tesla shrugged, "The train was disorienting, so I arrived with an empty stomach."

So far Tesla hadn't spoken a word to Ash or his friends. The kid's eyes were fixed on him the entire time he was in the room, his Pikachu was equally locked on. Tesla dranked his orange juice down, even licking it dry. Finally, after hours of silence, he sat down the glass and turned to Ash. The old Pikachu managed a smile, a first since he arrived in Soho. "It's great to see you again, Ash."

"Great to see you too," said Ash. "Are you feeling better?"

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked.

Tesla nodded, "A lot better now, I was miserable for most of the day."

Mark came into the room and merely glanced at Tesla, then shook his head. "I guess we're all in this together."

The old Pikachu chuckled, "Mark, it pains me to say this, but it's great to see you again."

Mark scooped up the old Pikachu and gave him a big hug. "I know you're a little sh*t and all but I've missed you."

Tesla squirmed under his grip. "You wanna get fried boy?"

"Do that and your great-granddaughter wouldn't even look at you for the rest your days."

The old Pikachu growled, "Damn you, Mark. Just damn you."

As Mark plopped Tesla back on the couch, his Pikachu hopped up and licked Tesla's face. He chuckled and pushed her away, "Hello, girl. How you're doing?"

"Pikachu!" she chirped.

Tesla noticed something and made a face, he reached out and felt Mark's Pikachu's belly, "By damn you've gotten fat, what have you been eating?"

"Pika Pika," she said.

"Oh my f*cken," Tesla stopped and thought for a moment. "You know what, f*ck it. Get as fat as you want, I don't give a damn anymore."

"Still swearing like a sailor are you," said Mark.

Tesla chuckled, "You should have heard the words that came out of your granddaddy's mouth."

Suddenly Mark's Emolga and Cheering Pokémon jumped up and hugged him, they screamed and cried in joy as Tesla sat there dumbstruck. "Among all the things I went through, this moment always repeats itself."

Mark held up a finger, "Wait a second, where is Volta?"

Tesla frowned and gave him a look, Mark's Pokémon went silent and stared at him. The only sounds in the Pokémon Center were the humming of the air conditioner and the faint sirens of police vehicles across town.

"Well," Tesla began. "She evolved and I gave her to a trainer, remember Cabot Richardson?"

"Oh sh*t, yeah. You had to battle him to get your pardon."

Tesla nodded, "Well I battled him again, this time I had Volta battle his Pokémon. She evolved mid-battle and we won. Won a lot of money out of it. I gave Cabot Volta as a constellation price. I promised him I would give him Volta after she evolved, he agreed to take her in."

"How did she take it?"

"She took it well. Heartbroken, yes. But she understood what I was doing. I promised her she would be safer with Cabot…"

Tesla went silent again.

"But that's not what happened," added Rex.

Tesla sighed, "Cabot's dead. Someone turned him into Swiss cheese and kidnapped his Pokémon, Volta escaped but I do not know where she went."

Ash stood up, "We were there when it all went down."

"We did our best," said Cilan.

Mark turned away and glanced out the window, not a single soul stirred in the darkness outside. "Holy sh*t."

"To sum it all up. What happened to Volta is why I am here. I have figured out who's responsible."

"Nobark?" Rex asked.

"Maybe," said Tesla, "But I don't want to start pointing fingers yet, so far everything I've dug up points to him."

Tesla reached out and rubbed Emolga's ears, she cooed as he rubbed her lobes with his thumb. "Well, Mark, at least your Pokémon are still adorable."

Rex sat back down at the reception desk and took a deep breath. He turned to Sara and Volts, they were snuggled under the blanket sleeping the night away. After all that just happened, they managed to fall asleep. They were quite deep sleepers, amazing Mark's Pokémon's screams had not woken them.

"So how did you get to know Rex, Tesla?" Mark asked.

"It's a bit of a long story," said Tesla. "I have spent weeks trying to put myself back together after Volta's predicament. She'd trusted me, and I blew it. Twice, as a matter of fact. For weeks I come and go to a bar not far from here. I forgotten what it was called, but it had a nice red-blue scheme on the front. Every day I went in and ordered a couple of beers, or something strong. You see, getting drunk isn't so difficult for a being my size."

"You're an alcoholic?" Rex asked.

"Had been since I was forty-five, pretty much a lot of Irvin's Pokémon drink. Heck, even Nobark drinks, he drinks more than any human I know of."

"Back to the bar, Tesla," said Mark.

Tesla scratched his head, trying to reclaim his memory. "Oh, now I remember. I was just leaving the bar after a hard night of drinking when I saw some unusual Pokémon crawl into the shadows. They were shady, wrong somehow. So I followed them. I then stumbled into a temporary encampment of Pokémon. They were Patrats and some other woodland Pokémon. They were talking about things. Things that you would never hear coming from a Pokémon's mouth. They were bragging about some raid they did on a nearby grocery store and stolen a cache of food and over-the-counter drugs. I wouldn't give much thought about it till I overheard Nobark's name."

"They mentioned Nobark?" Ash asked.

Tesla nodded, "Nobark Westinghouse, his full name, and I just sat there trying to process it all when they decided to get some shut eye. I let them sleep, they did not know I was ever there.

"Ever since our departure since the end of the Westinghouse Era, I had never gave a single thought on what my friends were doing. I was convinced they were all either dead or dying. But no, instead they were suffering. That conversation I overheard hinted Nobark was in deep sh*t with himself, and knowing Nobark, I have good reason to believe it. So I asked around and looked through phone books, trying to track down an expert, or somebody, who could help me piece all this together. After weeks of searching I found a small grease-covered card sitting on a public bench. It had Rex's name and phone number on it, so I gave him a call. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, I was running on a hunch. I'm not sure if he would help me or not. So when Rex's face came up on the touchscreen, we pretty much surprised each other with what we know."

Rex said, "I have done research on Tesla. I watched many of his videos during his Pokémon battling days and experimented with electricity, trying to figure out how he is so damn powerful. I never thought I would ever meet the modern legend himself."

"Modern legend, huh? Is that what people are calling me now?"

Mark opened up his backpack and pulled out the documents, then handed them to Tesla. "What can you make of these?"

Tesla opened up the PVC folder and looked at the documents, his eyes bulged inside his goggles. "Holy sh*t, these are Nobark's essays! I thought they were lost," he turned to Mark. "Where did you get these?"

"Where Nobark left it, I suppose," said Mark. "I broke into the Westinghouse farm and searched for records of you and Irvin's past."

"That house is still there?"

"Yeah, but it's mostly empty now. However, the videos and records, along with Irvin's diaries, were still there, locked in a trunk. I managed to get the files and made copies of them onto my laptop at home."

Tesla's ears steamed. "Mark, you are a nosy son of a b*tch, how much did you look through?"

"I went through every video and file, Tesla," said Mark. "Pretty much almost every f*cking story you've ever told us had been recorded, and they followed exactly the way you told it. In case you're wondering, I copied all the files I found into several USB sticks. Some are even in that PVC folder you're holding right now."

Tesla blinked, speechless. Then he said, "Does Matt know of this?"

"Nobody but Henry and I, Carly wasn't with us when we raided the place. I gave a USB stick to my grandfather and told him to hang on to it. He asked me what was in it, I told him not to look into it until we were ready. Meaning, after I dug up some intel over the mysterious Nobark."

Tesla slammed the PVC folder on the couch, his cheeks sparkling mad. "You bastard!"

Rex raised his hands, "Damn, Tesla. Calm down, why are you so hostile all of a sudden?"

Tesla's cheeks ceased sparkling. He squeezed his eyes shut, groaned, then took a deep breath and said, "There's a video in those files that is very sensitive, it upsets me every time I see it."

"Let me guess," said Mark. "It's about you singing and dancing to Polly."

Tesla's temper flared, he barked, "F*ck you, Mark!"

The ceiling lights instantly shut off, plunging the lobby into darkness. Mark switched on his Pokédex flashlight and shined it up at the ceiling, saying, "I guess I've blown a fuse."

When Rex first met Tesla on the videophone, the old Pikachu was cool and calm. But deep down, he could see the stress he was going through. For Rex, it looked like all that stress had all came out.

The lights turned back on after a few seconds, one of the Audinos must had reset the circuit breakers. Tesla himself had sat back down, he held his head low in shame. His great-granddaughter and Mark's Emolga sat frozen, scared from what he was going to do next. Rex watched as Tesla's let out a sob, struggling to contain his tears.

"I'm sorry," he whimpered. "I'm so sorry."

Ash got up and picked up Tesla, the old Pikachu buried his face into his jacket. "Ash, you're a lifesavor."

"We're all doing what we can, Tes," said Ash.

He sat Tesla back on the couch, his great-granddaughter wrapped his arms around him to comfort him. Rex shot a look at Mark, who innocently shrugged, "Do you always have to push Tesla that far?"

"I'm doing him a favor," Mark simply says. "If he unleashed that kind of temper on Chief Hattricks, he would be dead and we would all be f*cked. He's gotta let it out, Rex."

Before Rex could banter him, Tesla raised a hand. "No no, he's right. I gotta let it out. He may be a scumbag, Rex, but he is one of the most closest and reliable friend I ever had. Part of the reason being is he's my best-friend's grandson."

"My grandfather is Tesla's best _human _friend," said Mark. "Just underneath Ash."

Tesla steamed. "Thank you for pointing that out, Mark."

Ash sat down with Tesla and cradled him in his arms. The old Pikachu took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Now where was I? I swear, people pissing me off throws me off track all the time."

"You were around that part when you first talked to Rex on the videophone," said Mark.

"Oh yeah. We've got to know each other for an hour, things were normal until I mentioned Nobark. He said he couldn't say on the phone, the Soho PD were monitoring his calls."

"_Personal safety _is their excuse," added Rex, "I enjoyed talking to Tesla so much that I forgot to warn him about Soho Customs," he turned to Tesla. "Sorry about that, buddy."

"Don't worry about it, Rex. I rather want people to treat me as a person instead of being overlooked as baggage."

"What do you mean by baggage?" Ash asked.

Tesla asked, "Do we have to go over this again?"

"No," said Mark. "We do not."

Tesla glanced at the folder containing Nobark's essays, he reached over to pick them up but his hand couldn't come close. Ash picked up the folder and handed it to Tesla, the old Pikachu pulled the sheets out and inspected them. "Each page of these essays represent a certain personality of Nobark," he explained. "Each personality represents a certain emotion. In other words, his feelings are their own separate conscious. If he is angry, then he is a cold-blooded sociopath who doesn't give a sh*t about anybody. If he's happy, he is the most loving and caring person you'll ever know. If he's scared, he's a weak coward. If he's brave, he is one confident son of a b*tch. On occasion Nobark talks among these personalities, giving their own opinions on what to do. He would often bicker and scream at himself, half the time his anger personality takes control, and things become disastrous."

"So if Nobark has multiple different personalities," said Ash. "Which is the dominant one, the _real _him?"

"Only a handful of folks in the world had ever seen the real Nobark, and most of them are dead now. Only Matt and I can get through the barriers Nobark's mind has put up to avoid people seeing who he really is. The Nobark I have always remembered is kind, compassionate, and quite a pacifist. He won't lay a finger on anyone. If he does, he gets upset about it. I remember one time where Nobark accidentally head-butted me after getting into a dispute with a friend; he was depressed for a week, it took a while to talk some sense into him."

"You think we can talk some sense into him?" Mark asked.

Tesla shrugged, "I need to see how Nobark's holding up, and I'm not doing anything till I got a sense of what I'm dealing with."

The old Pikachu's eyes drooped, his head became heavy and spine rubbery. He was tired, terribly stressed from the chain of events that brought him here. Rex wondered how a Pikachu his age could handle all that. He had seen a couple dozen of Pokémon who went through extreme situations. Every one of them came out of it broken, demoralized, or mentally frail. Not Tesla though. He just shrugged it off, like it was normal. Mark's Pikachu held Tesla up and licked his cheek, Tesla smiled and wrapped an arm around her. Emolga then rubbed her head against his chest, and Tesla rubbed her ears in response. The Cheering Pokémon sat on his lap, pressing their heads against his stomach, snuggling into his fur.

Rex smiled. Despite the temper Tesla had unleashed on their trainer, Mark's Pokémon remained affectionate to him. They trusted him, believed in him. Their loyalty was similar to Mark's in some ways.

"Okay guys," said Tesla. "It's time for me to go to bed, I got a big day tomorrow and I don't want to be cranky."

Cilan let out a yawn, "Yeah, we all gotta get our beauty sleep."

"We can't leave the Pokémon Center," said Rex, "There's a curfew, we gotta wait till 8AM tomorrow before we step out again."

"You got a bed I can sleep in, Rex?" Tesla asked.

"There are some beds in the back, I'll take you there."

Tesla held up a hand. "No, no, I'll walk, but thank you."

Ash let Tesla down on the floor, he barely got over a meter toward the living quarters before he collapsed on the floor, letting out a snore as he passed out from exhaustion.

"So much for walking," Mark muttered.

The whole room broke into laughter, Ash reached down and scooped Tesla up again and carried him to the living quarters and tucked him in a bed.

**. . .**

Bubbles could not sleep, no matter how much she tried. Everything felt wrong. Everything smelled wrong. The bed was crummy. The air was stinky. This body that was holding her felt foreign and vague. Her eyes stared out into the darkness, she couldn't close them. Shutting her eyes would bring back the blood, the arrow, the pain, the fire and smoke. Bubbles tried to persuade herself this all just her imagination, simply a dream that she would eventually wake up from. She knew that was a lie. She was awake. Awake and scared.

The thing cradled her, hissed soft words into her ear. Its breath smelled like bacon, or some sort of sausage, mixed in with boiled cabbage and after dinner mint. It gurgled and bubbled, letting out an occasional toot and burp that smelled so rancid, Bubbles had to hold her nose to avoid throwing up. She could feel its tongue flick across her ear, as if it was trying to taste her. Bubbles held her breath, pretending to be asleep. But it sensed her conscious, the tongue gently slithered into her ear. She squirmed, trying to break free from its grasp. But its hold was tight, its arms and legs were wrapped around her body like a parasite. There was no way to break free without disturbing it, which would make it feel upset.

Bubbles felt the tongue moisten the inside of her ear, licking up the build-up of earwax. In a strange way, it felt relaxing. Calming. A part of her tune down as the tongue rubbed around the inside of her ear canal, cleaning up the dry skin and other debris. Bubbles breathed, her heart rate slowed.

Then she felt teeth clamping down on her cheek.

"AHH!"

The Sea Otter Pokémon erupted from the thing's grasp. The comforter and pillow went flying, the mountains of trash came tumbling down. Bubbles fell of the bed and rolled, she plowed into a tower of pizza boxes and it buried her.

The lights flicked on and everything went white. Bubbles grabbed her eyes and cried, everything hurts more and more.

"What's wrong, Bubbles?" Smugleaf cried.

Bubbles grabbed her scalchop and whipped out the pink plasma blade of her Razor Shell, she point the tip at Smugleaf while getting as far away from her as possible. _"Get away from me," _she cried, _"Get away from me you vile thing!"_

_ "What are you talking about?" _

_ "What do you want from me," _Bubbles cried. _"What have I done to deserve this!?"_

Smugleaf slid off the bed and approach, but Bubbles waved the Razor Shell, _"Get back, I swear to Ho-Oh I will use this!"_

The Grass Snake Pokémon showed no signs of being intimidated. Her face remained calm, yet worried. _"Bubbles, don't. I'm trying to help you."_

_ "You hug me funny, you hold me funny! It all felt so wrong!"_

Smugleaf raised an eyebrow and folded her arms. _"Well tell me then, what exactly feels right?"_

Bubbles just stared at her, then shook her head. _"I don't understand all this."_

_ "Heck, I've been in the PRA for years and I have yet to understand it all. There are some things in life that you might never understand."_

_ "This is _not _my life!"_

_ "Bubbles," _Smugleaf said again, _"Please."_

The Sea Otter's hand shook violently, trying to steady the Razor Shell. Smugleaf just stepped forward, the tip just a centimeter away from her chin. "Are you going to use that or what?" she asked in human speech.

Bubbles panted, then lowered the Razor Shell. _"I don't wanna hurt anybody, I just don't know what to do."_

"Here, let me help."

A vine whipped out of thin air and wrapped itself around her chest. Bubbles dropped the scalchop, the pink plasma blade retracted back into the shell and went dormant.

Smugleaf pressed Bubbles against her body, then wrapped her skinny arms around her torso. Bubbles struggled to break free, but she had serious muscles. _"Please don't hurt me," _Bubbles cried, _"I'll do whatever you want!"_

The legged serpent simply smiled, _"It's not about what I want, Bubbles. It's what _you _want. I got something that would help take the edge off."_

The Grass Snake Pokémon uncoiled another vine and opened up a portable refrigerator, she reached inside and pulled out a tall glass bottle with clear liquid. Before Bubbles could ask what it was, Smugleaf forced her mouth open and shoved the bottle's spout in.

The liquid tasted bitter and a bit stale, she tried to spit it out but Smugleaf kept the bottle locked into her throat. She tried to break free, but only succeed in tiring herself out. Bubbles watched in horror as the tall square bottle replaced its clear liquid with air, the bubbles belching in with loud blerps. She felt the liquid enter her belly, swirling around, making it pucker. Smugleaf patted it with her hand, giggling. _"Give it a moment," _she said. _"Let it take hold."_

When the bottle was half empty, the clear liquid went from bitter to a touchy sweet. Smugleaf then pulled out the bottle and released Bubbles. The Sea Otter Pokémon got on her knees and gripped her belly, the liquid inside swirled and tickled, doing something.

Suddenly the world became blurry, her thoughts cloudy. Her heart slowed and relaxed, the pain inside faded to a trickle, replaced with some weird pleasure.

_"What did you do to me?" _Bubbles muttered.

Smugleaf didn't say, she simply took her by the hand and pulled her back up. "Come on," said Smugleaf, "You need to sleep, things will be better in the morning."

Bubbles managed a sheepish nod, Smugleaf shut off the light and hoisted her back onto her smelly moldy bed. She then pulled the covers up and wrapped her arms around her body, the hold similar as to the one before. _"Goodnight, Bubbles," _said Smugleaf.

She couldn't say anything back, everything was too disorienting. For a moment Bubbles forgotten what she was thinking about. At that point, the air became fresh, the bed crisp clean, the hold over her gentle. Within minutes the tongue was back, but it felt soothing rather than threatening. Certain thoughts swirled around her brain, thoughts she would never even think of. Whatever Smugleaf put into her belly, it was changing something in her mind and body. Something she had never felt before.

_"This feels strange," _was the last legible thought Bubbles could manage before slipping into sleep.

**. . .**

When she sensed the Oshawott had fallen asleep, Smugleaf eased her hold over her. She sat up and stared at the concrete wall. She wondered what she had done was helping Bubbles. The vodka had took hold sooner than she anticipated. Had she gave her too much? No, she would have barfed if she did. Smugleaf reached out and stroke Bubbles's head. She looked so peaceful, maybe even dreaming of happier times. The Grass Snake Pokémon smiled and pressed her nose against her shoulder. The pink Oshawott strongly smelled like bubblegum, but with alcohol mixed in with the scent.

"You're going to be alright," Smugleaf whispered into Bubbles's ear. "I'll make everything better for you."

Then again, she wondered if she could hold out on that promise. Bubbles kept saying the whole place was a miniature landfill, maybe it was about time to clean up for once.

_Yeah, _she thought, _I might as well clean up tomorrow, make things easier on her._

But what about Wotter. If he catch Bubbles drunk, there was no telling what he was going to do to her. Wotter, for some reason, had a deep hatred for Oshawotts. She recalled one time he brought in a dead one, claiming that it had a heart attack. Oh really, a heart attack? Smugleaf was a little suspicious, Wotter could had strangled the Oshawott to death. But she examined the body, and found no signs of bruising around its neck, though its face was a little bluer than it should.

_Don't think about it, Smugleaf, _she told herself. _Think about Bubbles, and how to get her back into gear._

Bubbles's trainer's name was Gloria, she was eight-years-old, maybe wearing a pink dress. She was killed by a crossbow bolt. Wotter dragged Bubbles into camp with a crossbow in hand.

_Why did you do it, Wotter, _Smugleaf thought. _Why?_

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7_

The alarm squawked its annoying buzzer, rocking Wotter's brain into consciousness. He groaned and slammed his fist on the offensive alarm's snooze button, then sat up.

He found himself back into his bedroom. Wotter smiled, Tendon was compassionate enough to carry him back to bed after their little moment. There was no sign of her anywhere, she must had went back to her infirmary and slept off the night there. Wotter glanced around his room. There were fresh new beer bottles laying around on the floor, they hadn't been there before. The Discipline Pokémon tried to remember if he ever gotten that bath, he held up an arm and smelled his armpit. Yup, his body odor wasn't as strong as it was. Had Tendon washed him up after he passed out? She might have.

Wotter glanced at the alarm clock, the numbers read five-thirty AM, signaling the official start of his day. He rubbed his nose and stood up, his head pounded with a slight hangover. Wotter stretched his arms and touched his toes, his back crackled like snapping celery. His belly growled loudly, Wotter opened up his small fridge and grabbed an unopen beer can. He popped the top and chugged it down. There, that should keep his stomach complacent till breakfast time.

He emptied the entire beer into his stomach, belched loudly, then tossed the can to a corner of the room. His stomach bubbled as the beer mixed around with its acid, then gone quiet.

Wotter opened up the bedroom door and poked his head out, the hallway was quiet. Some of the florescent lighting flickered, getting ready to pop. When the last time was those bulbs were changed? No matter, changing bulbs wasn't his job. He stepped out into the hallway and quietly shut the door. Wotter took the other way out of the elite bunker. The sun had yet to show itself, the sky was just a pale grizzly gray and there was light fog hugging the ground. Wotter took a deep breath, mildew filled his lungs. He walked down the fence and located the east gate. It was stuck open, as it always had when he first moved into Fort Werner. Wotter flexed his legs as he stepped out of the fort, then got into his starting position. Time to get started.

He first jogged a lap around Fort Wernher, the place was not that big. Wotter went through the usual route just outside the fence. There were no guards or sentries, there were no need for them. The dark-type bat Pokémon who ruled the skies above kept its ears out for any trespassers. Swoo II, one of the four Swoobats, passed overhead. Wotter waved. The Swoobat acknowledged him and resumed patrol.

He passed the warehouse entrance, the old army building loomed overhead. The shadow it cast off was greater and darker than any other shadow in the fort. Wotter passed through it without incident, like he always done every morning.

When he reached back to where he started, he picked up the pace. This time jogging a little faster. Sweat trailed down his neck, his heart pumping hard in his chest. When he first started out, he kept getting headaches and lack of energy. Now it all felt good, really good. His hangover faded, his piece-of-mind increased. His testosterone levels peaked, giving him a sense of power.

On the third lap, he broke into a sprint. His legs burned, but he pushed through. Wotter panted hard, his heart pulsed toward the red zone. He didn't let up. Wotter vaulted over a fallen log and slid across the top of a boulder. The Discipline Pokémon sprinted the rest of the way and slowed down back at the east gate. Wotter panted, his heart was pounding and the testosterone flowing. That was a good run. He went back into the elite bunker, walked into his room, and pulled out another beer from the fridge. Wotter drank it all down, then tossed the can aside.

He heard someone moan in the hall, Wotter stuck his head out and saw Smugleaf's door creaked open. The pink Oshawott stepped out, rubbing her belly. Her face was green, either she ate something rotten or caught a bad bug. Bubbles closed the door and stepped outside. Wotter waited for a few seconds to see if Smugleaf was going to follow her. Her bedroom door remained closed.

Wotter went out through the back once more and jogged around the elite bunker and got visual on Bubbles. She walked up to a fire pit and dropped to her knees, then puked out her dinner from yesterday. The fire pit steamed from leftover heat, sending a column of vapor toward the sky. Wotter crouched and took cover by the wall of the elite bunker. Bubbles puked some more and sobbed. Looking closely, the symptoms looked kind of familiar, then it clicked.

_She was drunk, and now she is having a hangover._

Bubbles coughed and spat into the campfire, then let out another cry. Wotter squeezed the corner of the building, his blood started rushing through his limps. That little pink piece of sh*t, as far as he could tell this Oshawott was useless. She was one of those Pokémon who were bred to take up space. Bubbles was no fighter, just a crybaby who would never shut up. Wotter stood up, he had seen enough. While Bubbles sat on her knees groaning, Wotter sneaked up from behind. He wrapped an arm around the Oshawott's neck and locked her in a chokehold.

Wotter lifted her up and threw her hard on the ground, she let out a grunt as she bounced, then rolled onto her back. The delirium she was suffering was soon forgotten when she saw Wotter towered over her.

She lifted her hands up and begged, _"Please don't-"_

Wotter socked her in the mouth. _"Shut up you worthless piece of sh*t."_

He moved fast. Wotter balled his fist and started giving Bubbles a series of punches in her stomach, chest, and face. She tried to scream, but Wotter's lightning-fast blows kept cutting her off. She could only managed to get a squeal out.

Spit oozed out her mouth, then blood. Wotter didn't let up, he kept delivering blow after blow until Bubbles no longer resisted. He then turned her on her belly, then started stomping on her kidneys. Wotter called down all his strength and weight over the heel of his foot. Bubbles grunted from each blow, whimpering softly.

When Wotter exhausted himself, he stepped back and looked at his handiwork.

Bubbles was covered with bruises and sore spots. Her mouth was bleeding, her cheek where he had socked her was swelling up. The Sea Otter cradled into the fetus position and cried, big globes of tears rained from her eyes and pooling into the grass below her. Wotter snorted and nodded, that would be enough for today. He left her where she lay and head back into the elite bunker. Wotter walked into his bedroom and locked the door, then sat on his bed to meditate. Within minutes, he tuned himself out of the world and his temper was quickly forgotten.

**. . .**

The police came to the Soho Pokémon Center right around 0700, catching everyone by surprise. Tesla wasn't as sharp as he used to be, he was so tired from yesterday's sprawl that his instincts couldn't warn him in time. He was snapped awake when a hand grabbed the back of his neck and forced him down, a second later the handcuffs were slapped on his hands.

These weren't small handcuffs for humans, they were special suction-grip cuffs. They completely cover each hand and lock them in place with diamond links. Tesla was familiar of the cuffs, they were used by Team Rocket to bond poached Pokémon. He knew it was fruitless to struggle, even his powerful electric-attacks can't break the cuffs. There were few times in his long life where he felt helpless, most were minor cases, such as this. He had never been arrested by authorities before, he spent two decades of his life evading them. Tesla was always a step ahead, but not this time. He was old, and he had let his guard down.

"What are you doing!?" Ash cried out.

"Pika Pika!?" Pikachu chirped.

Tesla looked up and watched as Ash tried to make a grab for Tesla, but a big burly cop knocked him back with the butt of his shotgun. Ash toppled over the bed, his feet stuck high over the air as he disappeared on the other side. His Pikachu just sat there horrified, the shock was just too much for his little brain to handle.

The cops caught Mark sleeping on the bed with Emolga by his side. They engulfed him, pounded on him ferociously. "What is this!?" he barked, half-groggy with sleep and rage. "I am a Unova citizen, you have no authority to deny me from your town!"

Emolga panicked and tried to run away, one of the officers came up with a potato sack and scooped up the Sky Squirrel and stuffed her into it. Her cries squeaked with agony as she tossed and kicked. "Don't you hurt her," Mark exploded. "Don't you bastards f*cking hurt her!"

When the cuffs were on, Tesla was pulled to his feet. He was turned to face the arresting officer, the cop cited his Miranda rights by memory. "You are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Everything you say will be used against you in a court of law. You have a right to an attorney. If you do not have one, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand your rights?"

Tesla replied with a cold stare. If he were to say anything, even in Pokémon speech, it would be misinterpreted by the arresting officer. By saying nothing, Tesla cannot give the police compliance, which will trouble any case they might be building against him.

The officer repeated the Miranda rights, then asked if he understood. Tesla said nothing, as always, silence was a valid answer.

"Alright," the arresting officer said, "We got ourselves a quiet one. Not exactly common, but not uncommon."

The old Pikachu let himself be carried out of the Pokémon Center. Rex stood by and watched. Having just been rudely waken from bed, he stood there in his underwear looking on. Tesla just glanced at him, then shrugged as he was taken to an awaiting squad car. Mark was not far behind. He continued to swear and grumble, complaining that his rights were violated. Tesla watched as he was shoved into a separate squad car. Emolga was simply thrown into the trunk, she continued to scream until the cop slammed the trunk door down.

The trip to the police station was brief. Tesla sat hunched over from the cuffs, he couldn't get a good look out the window. The arresting officer sat next to him, keeping a sharp eye on him.

"We've been listening in from your conversations that night," the arresting officer broke the silence. "Hidden microphones in the walls, who knew they would come in handy that night."

Tesla said nothing.

"Your friends would be charged for hiding an unregistered person, do you know that?"

Tesla said nothing.

The station itself was large. It looked brand new, maybe just a few years old. The facade was a white marble, the words: SOHO POLICE DEPARTMENT carved above the front entrance. It looked sturdy, maybe it was as solidly built as the Pokémon Center. Tesla was hauled out of the squad car and carried into the station. Armed men dressed in riot gear lined the station, armed with carbine rifles. Their eyes glare at Tesla as he pass by.

Within seconds he was brought into a white interrogation room. A cop removed his handcuffs and left him alone in the room for five minutes. Tesla sat in the chair, his eyes closed, trying to cool the burning rage that burned inside him.

The door creaked open and Tesla looked up. Chief Hattricks himself stepped into the interrogation room, he pulled up a chair and sat down. "Good morning, Tesla."

Tesla said nothing, he simply stared at him.

"What's the matter?"

"You know what, your boys brought me here in handcuffs, and now I'm stuck here."

"We have good reason to."

Tesla said nothing.

"This boy," said Chief Hattricks. "Mark Kissinger, he snuck into Soho just like you. Just to make things clear how desperate things are in Soho, I have ordered both your arrests."

Tesla said nothing.

"You will not be held against your free will, unless you cooperate."

"Hadn't I already made that clear yesterday?" Tesla asked. "I told you when I was on that gravel rooftop, I didn't have much of a choice."

"I know," said Hattricks. "But the council thought otherwise. In order to keep them happy, I gotta show them that I control the situation. Not you."

Tesla said nothing.

"You want something to eat, Pokémon food perhaps?"

"Coffee," said Tesla. "Black, straight from the pot."

"Human habit?"

Tesla said nothing.

Hattricks nodded, "Okay then."

The secretary brought in a pot of coffee with ceramic mugs. She sat it down on the table and Hattricks dismissed her. Tesla hopped on the table and poured himself a cup, then sat back down in his chair. The coffee wasn't too hot or too cold, the old Pikachu drank it all down with ease. He sat his empty mug on the table, then folded his hands. "Alright," he said. "You mind explaining what has been going on for the last couple of decades?"

"About fifteen years ago, Nobark came into the scene with a mere handful of Pokémon. For a while he had been quiet. For the first few weeks he recruited the local Pokémon into the PRA, he gave them food, water, and a healthy set of ideals. When the PRA got large enough, Nobark launched a sneak attack on Soho in the middle of the night."

"How did it go down?" Tesla asked.

"Quiet," said Hattricks. "Back then we didn't have a wall or customs, it was just people and Pokémon, living side by side in harmony."

"Everything was peaceful then."

Hattricks nodded, "Yes, very peaceful. Back then I didn't have to worry about much of anything. Just petty crime and the occasional dispute," he took a deep breath and sighed. "I remember that night clearly, I was working in my office, catching up on paperwork when suddenly the power went out. I went to see what was wrong, the moment I stepped out the door someone shot me in the shoulder and I got knocked on my back.

"Then there were screams, more gunfire, the entire police department erupted into a warzone. All I had was my 9mm pistol, they had rifles, shotguns, SMGs. I didn't see who I was facing until I mustered up the nerve to peak out the door. A Scrafty, armed with an AK-47, ran pass the hallway. He had a look in his eye, they were burning with hate."

Tesla nodded, "The AK-47 was given to him by our trainer, I think that was what he took with him from Faraday Island."

"When was the last time you saw him?" Chief Hattricks asked.

"About twenty years ago," said Tesla. "Our trainer had just died, and we were all feeling hopeless, depressed. The Westinghouse Army, or Irvin's Pokémon, was falling apart at the seams. Some of my friends either committed suicide or went insane. A few of us were able to make it out with our senses intact. Nobark, however, did not.

"The last time I saw him he was cramming 7.62mm ammo into his backpack. I asked him where he was going, he simply told me he was going to find some old friends to sort things out. I had no idea what his intentions were, until yesterday."

"Was he stable then?"

"No, he was a mess, always had been. What you just saw that night was his condition beginning to deteriorate."

Hattricks sipped his coffee and nodded, "Not far from Soho is Fort Wernher, a defunct military outpost. Several decades back, the base was used to police the local towns and relay information to command. After a hundred or so lawsuits, and the lack of funding, the military shut the base down and left it to rot. Twenty years ago, Nobark and his PRA took over. Five years after that, the organization went rouge. Now, how close were you to Nobark?"

"He was one of the most loyal friends I ever had," said Tesla. "Whatever I say to do something, he will do it. Irvin made sure his Pokémon obeyed him and I. Nobark was conditioned to follow my orders, so that would be our advantage."

"But that was a long time ago," said Hattricks.

"Irvin's conditioning is permanent, no matter how many years have passed Nobark will still do what he is told. But I have no intentions of convincing him to turn himself in, I am convinced he is too far gone to be saved."

"What are you're planning to do?"

Tesla leaned forward. "I'm gonna go over to Fort Wernher and bury him."

The room went silent.

Hattricks asked, "You're just going to walk in there and kill him?"

"I didn't say I was going to kill him, he's going to die anyway. If he gets caught by the police, he will be shot. Forget about a right to a fair and speedy trial. He's not human. Just take him out back and put a bullet in his neck, easy as that," then Tesla added. "Irvin saw Nobark's insanity before it sprung up and engulfed him, he had considered putting him down. I talked him out of it, saying Nobark had a right to live. Among all the decisions I had made in my life, that was, by far, the worst. And now Irvin's fears have come true."

Hattricks thought for a moment. "So it is partially your fault for Soho's misery."

"Yes, you can say that. There's no other explanation."

"And I had no intentions on taking Nobark alive anyway," Hattricks stood up and pushed in his chair. "What you said is true, about him getting a trial. There isn't going to be one. Even if there is, he's going to be found not guilty for reason of insanity. He will win the case before it even begins."

"What do you want me to do?" Tesla asked.

"Head over to Fort Wernher, find Nobark and his close associates and take them out."

The door opened and an officer stepped inside. "Chief, we got a problem."

"What's going on?" Hattricks asked.

"Mark Kissinger escaped custody, he picked the lock on his handcuffs and knocked out two of our guys. He disappeared like a ghost."

"Let him go," said Tesla. "His business here is for Nobark as well, I'm going to need his help with this."

Deep down, Tesla couldn't help but laugh. Mark was always the troublemaker. His father was like that and his father's father was like that. Troublemakers, stirring up the situation, making it worse than it actually is. Tesla wondered what kind of embarrassment he would bring when his dad hears of this. He didn't show his feelings as the officers were figuring out what to do.

The officer turned to Hattricks and asked, "Sir, your orders?"

"Spread word that if they find Mark, kick him out of Soho. Haul him right out to any of the checkpoints and dump his ass on our welcome mat. We'll let the PRA deal with him."

**. . .**

When Smugleaf saw Bubbles in a bloody mess, she didn't know what to think. When she first woke up and saw Bubbles was gone, she panicked. She ran out of the elite bunker to flag down Nobark when she found Bubbles bleeding near a camp fire. Smugleaf got her to her feet and took her to Tendon, but found the Audino passed out drunk on her bed, covered with her own piss. She was in no state to help anybody. So Smugleaf grabbed one of her first aid kits and head back to her bedroom, where she cleaned up Bubbles face.

_"What happened?" _she asked.

Bubbles said nothing, she continued to shed tears as Smugleaf pressed an ice pack against her cheek.

_"Tell me, Bubbles," _Smugleaf insisted. _"Who done this to you!?"_

_ "Who do you think!?" _Bubbles sobbed.

Smugleaf's jaw dropped. _"Oh f*ck. Did he touch you?"_

_ "He hit me and kicked me, of course he touched me!"_

_ "That's not what I meant."_

_ "Then what do you mean?"_

_ Oh damn, _Smugleaf thought. _She doesn't know._

Bubbles got off lucky, but she may not be lucky the next time around. She was vulnerable, weak and depressed. She was, in every way imaginable, a desirable target for Wotter to haunt. The Dewott must have had some quality time with Tendon again, which explained why he never got that far. Bubbles sobbed and cried, not realizing how dangerous the situation really was. To her, it was as bad as it could get. To her, Wotter couldn't make his hurt feel worse.

Smugleaf handed Bubbles a tissue, she blew her nose and set it aside on the bed. _"Are you going to be alright?" _Smugleaf asked.

Bubbles sobbed. _"My head and belly is aching from that juice, or vodka as you call it. Everything already hurts before Wotter beat me up," _she looked up at Smugleaf. _"And you, you're creepy. There's something wrong with you."_

_ "I am perfectly fine," _said Smugleaf.

_"You told me yesterday your trainer died on you, you said it messed you up. I don't know what you were doing in the past fifteen years but I can tell it was wrong," _she laid down on the bed and sniffled. _"Go away, I don't wanna see you right now."_

_ "Bubbles," _said Smugleaf.

_"GO!"_

Smugleaf flinched, she stepped away from Bubbles and blinked. _Oh what have I done?_

She left Bubbles alone and stepped out of the elite bunker, Smugleaf shook her head and sniffled. _She hates me, _she thought, _Bubbles blames me for what happened._

Bubbles didn't understand the culture, the politics, and the problems of both. She had no idea, or even had a clue, of the definition of assault. Bubbles was far too young, too innocent to understand what was going on. Smugleaf couldn't blame her, she had been through this road before. She felt the depression, the sadness. The loneliness was the worst part. The thought of being left alone in the world, rejected by society, was worse than actually losing friends altogether. Among all the friends Smugleaf had in the world, few had ever cared for her. Nobark, his closest friend, treated her like a daughter when he wasn't in anger mode. Wotter, who was more of an acquaintance than a friend, was a total asshole. Somewhere deep down all that masculine muscle and fur was the real Wotter, the Dewott before the moment his trainer turned against him. If Smugleaf could get through him somehow, he wouldn't hurt smaller Pokémon like Bubbles ever again.

The vodka Bubbles drank had stirred something in her mind, made worse by Wotter's beating. There was anger in her voice, confused anger mostly. Bubbles hadn't experienced what pain was like before. Gloria had trained her to love, not to tolerate. Smugleaf wasn't sure if she could ever understand Bubbles. Her trainer was eight-years-old and she was at least a year old. Smugleaf's trainer was fourteen years old and she was merely weeks old at the time. The Sea Otter Pokémon had spent more time with her trainer than Smugleaf. More time to bond, more time to love.

_I can't wrap my head around all this, _she thought.

Smugleaf considered heading back to the bedroom to check on her, but thought against it. Bubbles was mad at her, mad at the world for chewing her up. There had to be something she could do to make it up for her. Smugleaf looked down the walking trail towards the command bunker. Nobark had yet to show himself today. She knew better than to go in during the AM hours. Nobark is often crabby in the mornings and is in no mood to reason with anybody. More later on the day he will be calmer and more docile, unless there is something bugging his mind.

This need an immediate response, if Nobark can't help then she would have to handle it herself.

Smugleaf stormed back into the elite bunker, passing her room as she headed towards Wotter's. His door was locked, she knocked. _"Wotter, you in there?"_

No response.

_"Wotter!"_

The door clicked and opened, Wotter stood there with an annoyed look on his face. _"What?" _was his terse response.

_"You know what."_

Wotter tried to shut the door, but Smugleaf stopped him. _"For f*ck's sake Wotter, Bubbles is going through a hard time thanks to you!"_

_ "So?"_

_ "We're supposed to help Pokémon, not hurt them!"_

Wotter asked, _"Since when did we help anybody?"_

She wasn't getting much out of Wotter, he flatly didn't care. This was typical of him. Every time she were to come to Wotter for something he done, he just shrugged it off like it was a minor dispute. If Smugleaf were to make her point clear, she would need to get physical.

Her Vine Whip came out within a blink of an eye. She smashed the door open, Wotter toppled back and slammed against the foot of his bed. Smugleaf coiled her vines around Wotter's neck, he yelped and thrashed his legs, trying to break free. Smugleaf pinned him to the floor, then leaped on top of his chest. Their faces barely centimeters apart from each other, "You f*cking lay another hand on Bubbles again," she spat. "And I'll rip your pride right out of your skin!"

She tightened her vine her vine on Wotter's neck, the Discipline Pokémon panicked, gasping for air.

_He ain't bullsh*ting now, _Smugleaf thought. "Got it, Wotter!?"

Wotter just stared at her with wide eyes.

"I said _got _it!?"

"Mm hmm!" he mumbled through her bonds, then clawed for air.

Smugleaf released her grip, Wotter gasped in a lung full of air. She stepped off of the Dewott as he panted, his purple face slowly returning back to its normal color.

_"Okay," _he said. _"I got it, now get out!"_

Wotter kicked Smugleaf hard in the stomach, launching her back out into the hall. Smugleaf smacked against the wall and fell flat on her face, then Wotter's bedroom door slammed shut.

_"F*cking whores," _Wotter swore to himself. _"All of them!"_

Smugleaf couldn't help but grin, it was always great to make Wotter angry. Whether or not Wotter took her advice, which remains to be foreseen. What was clear was that he got the message. The Grass Snake Pokémon got back to her feet and stretched her legs, her back crackled, sore from being slammed into the concrete wall like that. Smugleaf turned towards her bedroom door, she got at least mid-way down the hall when it opened.

Bubbles came out, her eyes bulging out of their sockets. Whatever drunken stupor and depression she had was gone, at least for the moment. _"I heard what happened," _she cried. _"Are you okay?"_

_ "I'm fine," _said Smugleaf. _"You weren't the first Pokémon he'd beaten, and I doubt you would be the last. I promise you I'll tear his manhood off if he attacks you again."_

The Sea Otter Pokémon whimpered, _"You don't have to do all that for me."_

Bubbles wrapped her arms around Smugleaf and cried, she took her back into the room and sat the Oshawott back on the bed. _"Bubbles, I'm here to help you. I don't want you to suffer."_

The Sea Otter Pokémon nodded. _"But still, Smugleaf. You-"_

_ "Bubbles," _said Smugleaf. _"Just relax, there's going to be Pokémon who will defend you whether you want them to or not."_

_ "With violence!?" _

Bubbles was a peaceful Pokémon, not a fighter. She had been living in a clean slate world for most of her life. Violence was foreign to her, beer was unknown. She was running off of the kiddie stuff, not the adult stuff that everyone would soon discover in life. Smugleaf had to admit, she too thought of a peaceful solution during that encounter with the Houndoom. She pleaded with it not to hurt her, instead it spat out Alice's-

_Don't think about it Smugleaf, _she thought.

_"What's wrong, Smugleaf!?" _Bubbles cried.

Smugleaf shook out her concentration of thought. _"Nothing's wrong, just dosed off for a moment."_

_ "Please don't tell me I hurt your feelings!"_

_ "I'm a libertarian," _said Smugleaf. _"I don't get offended that easy."_

_ "What is a libertarian?"_

Smugleaf chuckled and wrapped an arm around Bubbles, _"I'll tell you some other time. Tell you what, we get something to eat and we can figure out what to do today. I have plenty of free-time on hand so we can do whatever we want till nightfall."_

_ "Like what?" _Bubbles asked.

_"I'll show you."_

**. . .**

Mark had never been in such deep sh*t before.

He didn't have much time to react before the handcuffs were slapped onto him, was hauled out of the Pokémon Center with little dignity left. Emolga was not so fortunate either, she got bagged and thrown in the trunk of her squad car along with his backpack. He couldn't imagine what his other Pokémon were feeling inside their Poké balls.

While the cops were busy talking to themselves up front, Mark got to work in undoing the cuffs. There was no screen guard dividing the cab, it was a wide unified space. The shotgun itself was just sitting there, wedged between the passenger seat and the cup holders. Making a grab for it wouldn't do, it was too wedged in to be pulled out at a moment's notice. Mark just focused on getting the cuffs off. It wasn't that hard. He was handcuffed behind his back, the cops couldn't see his handiwork. He kept a neutral face as he fiddled with the lock. Mark got one cuff off, then another. He then sat and waited. He could hear Emolga's muffled crying in the trunk, screaming for mercy. The cops were getting irritated by her cries, one of them was considering pulling her out and throwing her into a nearby dumpster to rot.

It was when they pulled into the parking lot where Mark made his move.

The cops put the squad car in park and got out. Mark pretended he still had the cuffs on when they opened the passenger seat door for him. When he stepped out, Mark sprang out his arm and threw a lightning-fast jab against the side of the cops neck. It was hard and precise, the cop immediately lost consciousness and collapsed. Before his buddy could react, Mark grabbed the baton off the downed cop's utility belt and flinged it open. His buddy barely had his pistol out when Mark tossed the baton and struck the cop against his temple. The cop squeezed off a wild round as he collapsed, which alerted law enforcement. Mark slid across the hood and retrieved the downed cop's baton and his partner's pistol, then tossed them inside the squad car.

He was behind the squad car's wheel when the Soho SWAT team came around the corner. Mark pulled out of the parking lot as they fired their machine guns through the windshield. Mark ducked, glass shards showered him as bullets whizzed over his head. He floored the gas pedal and sped down the road, nearly hitting several cars along the way. Emolga's faint screams echoed from inside the trunk, Mark hoped the back was bulletproof.

When the shooting ceased, Mark pulled his head up and started looking for an escape route. A back alley, a tunnel, something he could use. He diverted off down a back alley and crossed several streets and roads. By luck, he spotted an open garage, free of cars and people. Mark quickly pulled in and killed the engine, he sprang out of the squad car and pulled the garage door shut.

Police sirens echoed in the distance. There wasn't much time left, Mark popped the trunk door open and pulled out the brown bag. He ripped it open and Emolga tumbled out. She was traumatized, yet unhurt. Mark then pocketed the cop's service pistol and picked up the baton, then pulled the shotgun out of the seats. Finally he grabbed his backpack and put it on. Emolga hopped on his back and crammed herself inside his backpack, then seated herself in the usual spot.

Mark ran inside the adjacent building and found himself in an apartment complex hallway. He didn't stick around to be sure, he backed out and pulled the garage door open and came back outside, then closed it behind him. The sirens were growing louder. Mark searched fast. He found a storm-drain cover, it looked like it hadn't been used in a while. Mark took the metal baton and stuck it into the cover's vents, then pulled the cover out. Mark then climbed down into the ladder and pulled the cover over him.

Emolga stayed silent inside his backpack as he made his way through the storm drain. Mark couldn't risk using his Pokédex's flashlight, the beam would attract anyone near the road drains. He used the lighting he had as he made his way across town. Sirens and choppers squeal and buzz above, sounding like ghosts in the storm drains.

When he felt he had gone far enough, Mark picked a manhole cover at random and climbed its ladder. He found his way into the apartment building's parking lot, the police sirens were so far away that Mark relaxed a little.

He slumped behind a dumpster to rested for a moment. Mark cradled his Emolga and pressed his forehead against hers. She whimpered, clutching him for dear comfort; it was like she was pleading him to make things better. There wasn't much Mark could do. He gotten them into this mess and there was no easy way out. Mark wondered what his dad would think. The stint in Dixie was easy to cover up, but this was different. Soho PD had his name and history, there was no question that he would be on the regional news. If word already got out to Faraday Island . . . by Ho-Oh, the embarrassment of this would ruin his dad's career. He might even be forced to resign. Aside from his friends, the strangers and other acquaintances who knew him would view him as a disappointment. The son of a police officer attempted to smuggle weapons into a town, then escaped custody by assaulting two officers.

Everyone who knew him might wonder what he was doing there in the first place.

It was comforting to know that he wasn't alone in this. Tesla, his so-called friend and rival, had experience of being on the run. But his situation was different. He was a Pokémon trying to enter a town where Pokémon are not welcome. Faraday City will still view him as a hero no how many charges he piles up. If somehow the media would figure out that he and Mark were in this together, then the damage might be limited. Mark's father would still be disappointed, but his career would be spared.

"Emo?" Emolga asked.

Mark rubbed her ears and hugged her, "Emolga," he said. "I love you so much . . . I'm sorry for all this. I f*cked up, I know. Even if this was inevitable, I really made it worse by kicking the hornet's nest."

"Emolga," Emolga muttered.

He rubbed her yellow cheek with his thumb, "I wish I could understand you, girl. That would make things a whole lot easier."

Mark got up and picked up the shotgun, "The only way we're getting out of this Emolga is to track down Nobark. We don't have much choice. If we find him, we might turn the coin on the authorities."

He tapped his Pokédex's touchscreen and activated the GPS. The political map of Soho appeared on the screen. Mark zoomed out to see where this abandoned military base was. "Okay," he said. "I found it, setting a waypoint."

Mark heard a door open, he quickly crouched and listened. A door closed and a person stepped out. Emolga clutched Mark's shoulder, shivering her fur off.

He tapped the touchscreen again and activated the heartbeat sensor. The heartbeat sensor was an app on his Pokédex. It cost a lot of money to buy it and extra for the updates. Reason being was the heartbeat sensor was a military app, not to mention it was heavily taxed. Mark had to work three weeks of overtime and salvage precious metals from scrapped computers to pay it off.

The entire screen was engulfed in a ninety-degree radar field. On the first wave the heartbeat sensor beeped, showing a green dot on the screen. Mark peaked over the dumpster and saw who it was. It was a man with graying hair, he looked like senility hadn't claimed him yet. He appeared to be heading over to his car despite all the sirens screaming in the distance. Mark lowered his head and waited.

He heard a car door open and shut, then an engine started up. As the car pulled away, the green dot on the heartbeat sensor moved from right to left. The engine noise faded away and the green dot blipped out of existence.

"You okay, Emolga?" he asked.

"Emo," Emolga nodded.

The heartbeat sensor was designed to be used for tactical low-visibility scenario. Nonetheless, it would help give Mark a head's up when navigating his way out of Soho.

He turned to Emolga. "How do you want to do this, Emo? We can escape through the rail yard like how Tesla into Soho, but there might be more security than last time. There's also the ocean where we got into Soho, but the currents are vicious and I almost drowned once; I don't think Pikachu and the Cheering duo would like that. Now we could head back under the streets and find a tunnel out of Soho, but any storm drain might lead us out to sea. The way Soho was built, all rainwater flow through the town and get dumped into the shore. If there is indeed a tunnel leading under the wall, then there's a good chance that tunnel may be flooded. A bit of swimming might be needed.

"So," said Mark." Which is it? One, two, or three?"

Emolga stared at him for a moment, then held up one finger.

"The railyard, of course. Let's see if we can do it better than Tesla."

"Emo."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter 8_

After further talk with Chief Hattricks, they struck a deal, but that didn't mean Tesla got the winning end of the bargain. He was escorted back to the Pokémon Center in the back of a squad car. Ironically it was the same car that brought him to the station in the first place. Same driver, but minus the two other officers. Like before, Tesla held his peace. He did not say a word to the driver, nor struck up conversation, though there were a couple of times where the cop tried. Ironically he was a fan of his Pokémon battles in the later years of Irvin's life. Tesla listened, yet spoke not a word. For all he knew the "conversation" was being recorded. There was a camera mounted on the ceiling of the cab. Pointed at him. The power light lit. He gave nothing for the camera to show, nothing to hear. Tesla just sat there, staring at the back of the front passenger seat's head rest while the cop drone on about a life that was long dead and buried.

He pulled up to the Pokémon Center right near the entrance. There was nobody waiting for him, Chief Hattricks didn't bother calling ahead to say he was released. Tesla couldn't care less, he liked it better this way.

The cop left the engine running as he got out to open the door for Tesla. The old Pikachu climbed out and stretched his legs. "Be safe, friend," the cop says.

_I'm not your friend, _Tesla thought.

The Mouse Pokémon simply nodded, then turned towards the Pokémon Center. The cop was already in his car and driving off by the time the front doors opened.

"Tesla," cried Ash. "You're okay!"

Tesla tried to manage a smile, but his face wasn't feeling it. He simply strolled up and sat next to Ash without glee. "What did they do to you," Ash asked. "I was scared, I thought they were going to hurt you!"

"No," said Tesla. "They did not. They just wanted to be sure we were on the same page."

Tesla told him about the interrogation, how he reacted and how they reacted. He didn't tell them what he had in store for Nobark. No, that wasn't in Ash's nature to hear. The boy was still glued to the possibility that Nobark could be saved. Tesla couldn't blame him. Back on Faraday Island when everyone just about wanted to kill him, Ash stuck to the peaceful solution, even showed some muscle to back it up.

But this was different. Tesla could be reasoned with, but Nobark couldn't. Nobark is irrational, unstable. He was a time-bomb waiting to go off. Any reasoning with Nobark would just rewind his clock back, maybe even reset the timer. But sooner or later, it would go off, and everyone who knew him would get caught in the blast wave.

"Did you suggest peace talks?" Iris asked.

_"Had you?" _his Axew added.

"Yes," said Tesla, which was somewhat true. "I said to Chief Hattricks that I would try to convince Nobark to surrender, but nobody was sure what to do after that."

"Would they take him to court?" Cilan asked.

"Doubt it," said Tesla. "If they do, the best we can hope for is he gets locked up in a mental asylum for the rest of his life. If that happens then I'm done protecting him."

"But he's your best-friend," said Ash.

_"He is!" _Pikachu added.

Tesla shot a look at Ash, "Nobark isn't really Nobark. He is a hodgepodge of personalities. Most can be reasoned to a degree, but a mere handful cannot. The part that really _is_ Nobark had lost control, the other personalities, his emotions, had took over. They mutinied against him, locked him in a cage and tucked him away in storage. Even if we can bring him back, it's too late. Way too late. Nobark is in his sixties, I don't even know if I would recognize him if we both meet again."

"What do you think would happen?" Cilan asked.

"Best-case scenario, he breaks down in tears of joy. Worse-case scenario, he kills me."

Silence filled the room.

"I doubt the ladder would happen though," Tesla added. "Not yet at least."

Tesla then sat back and sighed. "So how was your debacle with the police? It looked like they were a little hard on you."

"They hauled Mark out just after you," said Rex. "They stuck his Emolga in a sack or something and tossed her into the trunk of the squad car. Poor thing, she was screaming her head off."

"I overheard Mark escaping custody, the police are thinking of letting him go. Assuming he would leave Soho."

Rex reached under the reception desk, then pulled out the PVC folder and the .22 pistol. "I managed to pull these out just before the cops came. It was all I had time for. I ripped them out of his backpack and kicked them under the bed seconds before the cops burst through the door. They took his backpack, just as I suspected."

"You have a book bag I could borrow?"

"Yes, I have a Red Cross backpack you could use. Why?"

"Because I'm going to need something to carry that folder and gun to Fort Wernher."

**. . .**

The Nurse Joy of the Soho Pokémon Center showed up later that afternoon after her trip from Carbondale. She was weary of Tesla when she first saw him, but Rex managed to convince her he was no threat. When Tesla said he was here to help, Nurse Joy simply nodded, then walked off to the back room. Her eyes hinted she was also been scarred by the PRA.

"It's difficult for her to perform her duties these days," said Rex. "The trust issue, you see. She had no way of knowing if the Pokémon she treats would turn on her."

"How often does it happen?" Tesla asked.

"Almost every time a Pokémon comes in, and most of the time it ends with theft of some medical supplies. So far the PRA hadn't attacked her directly, but the experience of her Audinos…" Rex trailed off, then shrugged. "Yeah, I don't wanna mention it out loud."

Tesla nodded. "Sensitive issue, I understand." Then he said, "Can you load up the book sack with supplies? Like a flashlight with batteries, some matches, maybe .22 ammo if there is any."

Rex shook his head. "No ammo I'm afraid, Soho is a gun-free zone for the public. But I may let you have a flashlight and batteries."

"I'm going to need some shampoo as well," said Tesla. "And soap bars, the best you have."

"Why those?"

"You said that Patrat was a mess, right? Some of these Pokémon were handled by humans, so they might have learned to love a good bath."

Rex nodded. "I'll go see if there is any."

As Rex walked to the back room, an Audino stepped into the lobby. It gave Tesla curious glance for a second, then sheepishly approached. Tesla sat and watched as the Audino paused for a moment, taking time to figure out what to say. He glanced over at Ash, who was busy watching the TV with his friends. They were too preoccupied to notice.

_"You're really, Tesla Westinghouse?" _the Audino asked as it approached.

Tesla nodded, then said in Pokémon speech. _"Are you alright, you've been depressed ever since I first time saw you."_

The Audino thought for a second. _"Could you please come to the next room, it's personal."_

Tesla got up and followed the Audino into the living quarters, he shut the door behind them and locked it. _"Okay, what is it that you want?"_

_ "I'm lost," _she said. _"And I don't know what to do. Please, Tesla. You gotta help me."_

_ "Go on."_

The Audino sighed, _"It's a complicated mess. I blame myself for what happened, cause I just sat there, not knowing what to do when my sister…"_

_ "You have a nickname, Audino?" _Tesla asked.

_"Yeah, it's . . . Pinki."_

_ "Male or female?"_

_ "Female, all the Audinos here are."_

Tesla nodded. _"Okay, Pinki. Tell me, what happened to you?"_

_ "I've been betrayed._

Tesla said nothing.

_"I've been betrayed by one of my closest friends. I put my life into her hands, I still after all these years cannot believe she did what she did."_

_ "What did she do?"_

Pinki sniffled, then cleared her throat. _"It was fifteen years ago, on the night the PRA went active. I was tending to some things in the closet. Reorganizing medicine, moving equipment around. I tuned myself out of the world, like I always done. I think that was the last time I ever tuned myself out._

_ "One person came in, he had gunshot wounds. Another came in, this one with an arrow in the lung. Then another, and another, and another. Wounded people just keep coming in, it was always the same case. Innocent people with gunshot and arrow wounds, wounds I had never saw or treated before until that night. I was overwhelmed, a lot of people were hurt, screaming in pain, begging me for relief._

_ "The other Audinos were on it, we all kept our minds intact for a few hours. It was after midnight when it happened."_

_ "What exactly happened?" _Tesla asked.

The Audino looked away, _"One of the Audinos was my sister, Appendix. We all just call her App for short. She was not only my sister, but my twin. We both grew up together and went through medical school and all of its hardship. And then there's Tendon."_

_ "Who's Tendon?" _

_"Tendon is a close friend. She never liked medical school from the start, and sometime she would skip a day and let her grades slip. I helped her along, and she barely graduated in the end."_

_ "What is she like?"_

_ "Not much of a talker, sometimes she ignores you when you speak to her. Sometimes she would grumble to herself, complaining about her job here in the Pokémon Center. She complained about the diet, the hours, mostly the diet. Tendon somehow developed a taste for alcohol. Nurse Joy won't let us have beer or anything, so she would take regular rubbing alcohol and add a few milliliters of it in juice or milk and drink that."_

Tesla nodded, _"She's an alcoholic."_

_ "Yes," _said Pinki. _"You could say that. I only saw her get drunk on quiet nights, never in the day. I basically had to cover for her at times when she's intoxicated. Then one day, Nurse Joy found empty rubbing alcohol bottles tucked away under Tendon's bed. Nurse Joy may be nice and cheerful in all but . . . I never saw her so stern before. When she confronted her, Tendon just gave her a look. She stayed in bed for the rest of the day."_

_ "Tell me, Pinki. What happened that night, when the PRA was showing force for the first time?"_

Pinki hesitated, then said, _"She snapped, she defected. But that's not all she did. As I was being encumbered by patience, the power went out. Tendon and my sister App went to go check on the power. I expected the power to turn on seconds later. But ten minutes went by, then twenty. It was still dark, everyone was panicking. I was scared, I went over to the back to check on them…"_

Pinki's eyes began to water, tears trailed down her face as she looked away.

_"Pinki," _said Tesla. _"If you don't want to tell me that's fine, I can piece together what happened."_

The Hearing Pokémon nodded, _"I found App on the floor in a pool of her own blood. She was lying face down, a scalpel jammed into her medulla."_

_ "The medulla oblongata?" _Tesla asked.

_"Yes," _said Petri. _"It's an area of the brain responsible for voluntary and involuntary movement, such as breathing and moving your arms and legs."_

Tesla nodded, he was familiar with the medulla. Pokémon are resilient creatures and they are tough to take down. When there is enough adrenaline going through a Pokémon, they can even take bullets to the chest, gut, limbs. You could take off half their head with a shotgun and they would still be walking. The reason being was the medulla oblongata was larger in Pokémon than humans. Depending on the Pokémon's size and strength, a single shot through the medulla would result in instant death. Tesla had seen his friends get impaled and suffer fatal wounds but survived, but not those who suffered damage to the medulla.

_"I tried to resuscitate her," _said Pinki. _"But it was no use, she was gone. I spent half the night crying, I couldn't sleep and we were so busy. I felt so hurt, so alone, helpless._

_ "When morning came around and we've learned what really happened. Tibia, Carotid, and I realized what had happened. Nurse Joy was traumatized, and I slipped into catatonic state for a week."_

Tesla said, _"When I was taken away from my family back in Kanto, I was scarred for life. Poachers, paid off by Team Rocket, scooped up my parents and my brothers and sisters, separated us one by one. I lost almost all love of humanity, the wounds are still sore to this day."_

Pinki's eyes centered on Tesla, then nodded. _"I'm sorry to hear that."_

Tesla gave Pinki a hug. _"Is there anything you need me to do, Pinki?"_

_ "Find Tendon," _said Pinki. _"Find Tendon once you're in Fort Wernher, ask for her side of the story. There's a lot of things I wanted to clear up, like did she really killed my sister?"_

_ "I'll ask her," _said Tesla. _"If she's still around."_

_ "Oh she's still around. Someone's patching up the insurgents' wounds. They were professionally done, neatly wrapped. I've seen them myself. Some PRA members raided a warehouse last week. When they were caught, they had old wounds professionally stitched. Definitely an Audino's handiwork, I have seen the pictures myself. I have no doubt that Tendon is still around."_

_ "Well then, I'll go find her and clear things up. I'll give you the complete rundown when I get back."_

Pinki bent down and kissed Tesla on the cheek, the old Pikachu couldn't help but blush. _"Thank you, Tesla. Thank you."_

**. . .**

Tendon woke up with a burning headache, she opened her eyes then squeezed them shut again. The ceiling lights burned her retinas, she took a moment for them to adjust before opening them again.

Everything hurt. Her back was sore, her head throbbed, an unusual itchy feeling around her thighs. Tendon knew what was happening. It was one of those nights, those nights when she really got slammed. Usually happens once a week, or once a month, depending on how much beer Woody had in storage.

Tendon sat up and stretched her muscles, her pot belly warped over her groin, somewhat relieving the itching. She ignored it and looked around the room for something to drink. The bedroom was clouded with all sorts of junk. Empty bottles, used bandages, discarded packaging. They lay on anything with a surface, taking up whatever empty space was available. It was a mess, a horrible mess. It had been years since she had last cleaned it. Tendon wasn't sure what was growing underneath all that piles of garbage. She didn't wanna know, nor did she cared. Worrying about things stresses her out, and there wasn't any beer or something sitting on the ready. Tendon stood up and flexed her muscles, then unstuck her belly from her thighs.

She stepped into the bathroom and found more rubbish. Brown blood had been smeared, splattered – and one occasion, dumped – all over the walls and ceiling, mostly the floor. The toilet was a catastrophe, she couldn't remember the last time she cleaned it, let alone flush. There was no water running through the plumbing, never had been since the last days Fort Wernher was owned by humanity. Tendon approached the wall mirror and looked at herself. Oh boy she was a mess. Her fur was filthy, really filthy. There was no soap or water, nothing in her disposal to clean herself, and under that horrid grime layer was a lot of lard from years' worth of junkfood and alcohol. Most of it went to her gut, which stuck out like a balloon filled with jelly. She pressed down on it. Yup, just what she suspected. Not only was it unusually plush, there was a hard rock where her liver used to be.

Cirrhosis, it felt like a pretty bad case. No healing herb or powder would cure it, it would have to be physically replaced.

_And I'm the only doctor here who can do a transplant, _she thought. _Ironic._

Oh, look at that. There was some beer left, just sitting under the sink. It looked like it had been sitting there for a while. Tendon popped it open and poured some of it over her thighs to relieve the itching, then downed the rest. She tossed the can aside, it landed into the mountain of used cotton balls and tampons, knocking it over, tumbling over the empty tubes of toothpaste.

Tendon headed to the infirmary. She took a little more responsibility in this part of her personal bunker. It was a little cleaner, no trash was lying around on the floor. However the beds where the patients sleep were yellow, some covered with old bloodstains. The operating table was even worse. The stainless steel surface was coated with crimson blood. It was more recent, not too long ago she had to operate in removing shrapnel from a Pansear's stomach. Idiot accidentally dumped ammunition into the fire and several casings shot out and struck him in his spleen and liver. He lived, though he was in no condition to give payment.

There was a knock on the door, then it opened. Tendon turned and saw Nobark stepped through. She tensed up, knowing his temper was hot in the morning.

She quickly relaxed when Nobark showed no signs of hostilities, apparently his gentler side was showing. That nice, heart-struck side. Usually that comes out around the late PM hours. No matter, multiple-personality disorder, on occasion, goes against the notioned schedule.

_"Morning, Teddy,"_ he said.

_"Morning, Nobark,"_ Tendon said back. _"What can I do for you today?"_

_"You have any more pills for my hand?"_ Nobark held up his left hand, it shook and twitched like it was hyped up on sugar and caffeine. Parkinson's disease, not very pleasant, tends to make the afflicted person a little slow.

_"I think we got a bottle somewhere," _said Tendon. _"It would be a lot easier if we have a supplier."_

_"I'll send someone out to get more, there's a warehouse up in Nimbasa City that have medicine stores."_

_ "Fair enough."_

Tendon opened a cabinet and grabbed an orange bottle, then sat it on the counter. _"You know I don't come in cheap."_

Nobark reached into his pelt and pulled out some magazines, and an unopened vodka bottle. Tendon took the magazines and looked at the cover, she smiled. _"Nice pictures here, are they recent?"_

The Scrafty nodded, _"Recent as can be."_

Tendon opened a drawer and shoved the magazines inside. _"Okay, follow me to the back. I hope you haven't lost your touch."_

_ "I never lose my touch, I just needed it calibrated."_

Tendon shut and locked the infirmary door, then she and Nobark head to the back bedroom. Just for safe measure, she also shut and locked that door to.

**. . .**

"You're all set to go, Tes," said Rex.

Tesla tried on the Red Cross drawcord backpack. It was large enough to hold in all the soap, yet small enough to wear on his tiny body. "Thank you," he said.

"When are you planning to leave?"

"Tomorrow morning, right now I need to catch some sleep."

Rex nodded, then he asked, "How did the cops know Mark was here?"

"Hidden microphones in the walls," said Tesla. "They were eavesdropping on our conversation last night."

Rex's face went white. "You gotta be kidding me."

"I'm not."

"How come you haven't told me when you came back?"

"No need to, the cops are on our side, for now. Besides, the microphones are being recorded, not tapped into. If they were indeed listening to us live, they should have arrested me last night. Since they done it in the morning that means someone had decided to rewind the audio files because you brought me in here. They wanted to figure out what I was doing, Mark was just an accident."

Rex shook his head. "I hope you know what you're doing. Please be careful, right now it looks like you are the only one who can get through to Nobark."

Tesla shrugged. "Seems like that, there's always Mark's grandfather. If we get a videophone connection between him and Nobark, then that would better the odds. They have a close relationship just like me."

As Rex headed back to the reception desk, Tesla turned his attention elsewhere. He centered on Sara and Volts, the two Mouse Pokémon sat in the usual spot. A blanket was draped over the Raichu as the Pichu slept in her arms. Tesla walked up and sat next to Sara, she simply glanced at him then turned back to Volts.

_"You walk on your two legs a lot," _said Sara.

_"Old habit," _said Tesla. _"Decades in the making."_

Tesla glanced at the Pichu, he laid curled up in the Raichu's stubby arms. He smiled, he hadn't seen a Mouse Pokémon cradle her young like that in years. Sara stroke her child's head, rubbing her hand over his big ear. Volts murmured and cooed in his sleep, then changed sleeping positions.

_"How old is he?" _Tesla asked.

_"About two years now," _said Sara as she stroke the side of Volts' head. _"I gave birth to him in a burrow in Viridian Forest, he later hatched there and I spent most of the time raising him."_

Sara turned to him. _"Had you ever been to Viridian Forest?"_

_ "I was born and raised there," _said Tesla. _"I had a big family, a loving mother and father, and a few other extra relatives. I spent the first twenty years of my life as a Pichu, I felt so eternally young. Things changed after I evolved."_

_ "What happened?" _Sara asked.

_"My family was poached, separated. I was literally pulled out of my mother's arms."_

Sara gasped. _"I'm sorry."_

_ "It was seventy years ago, it's all ancient history."_

_ "How old are you now?"_

_ "A hundred and seven," _said Tesla. _"I hold the record for being the oldest Mouse Pokémon in the world, thanks to Faraday Island." _He then asked, _"What is your story, how did you wound up under Rex's wing?"_

_ "I was first caught as a Pikachu," _said Sara. _"I went out to find some food for my Pichu, I couldn't take him with me cause it was dangerous that day. There were predators out, such as poachers. I found some delicious berries not far from Pallet Town, I was about to bring some back when Rex showed up."_

Sara took a deep breath and sighed. _"I couldn't remember those days where I transitioned from wild to captive, all I know was the only thought on my mind was Volts was left all alone. In the first few days, Rex introduced himself and I got to know him. But I was nervous, a bit sad. I was worried about my baby here. I thought of leaving his house to go find him. But I can't, something wouldn't let me."_

Tesla nodded, _"The Poké ball you got caught in, it marks you owned. Pokémon who are owned couldn't easily leave on their own accord. Well, not without a strong enough reason."_

_ "Were you ever caught in a Poké ball?" _

_"Never been in one, never will."_

Sara looked away. _"I think it was week later or something, when Volts showed up on the back porch. Rex was just serving breakfast when he just showed up. I went hysterical and dashed for him, begging Rex to open the sliding door. When he did, Volts came running inside and he dove into my arms. I practically have to get down on my knees and beg Rex to capture him. I would have made a run for it with Volts, but I couldn't. I didn't want to."_

_ "Why?" _Tesla asked.

Sara smiled. _"Cause I have a crush on Rex."_

Thoughts of Mark's Pikachu came to mind, she was hopelessly in love with Mark as well. _"Figures, you wanted Rex to capture him?"_

_ "Yes, he did. He figured out right away he was my son, so he scrounged up an empty Poké ball and caught him. I was united with my baby once more."_

She turned back to Volts. _"Did you have children of your own, Tesla?"_

_ "Yes, a lot of them. Most of which were born from artificial insemination, the rest, the natural way. I had an estimate of one hundred-forty offsprings. Never met any of them. Reason being my mate was in the breeding program, I never got to spend as much time with her as I would like."_

_ "Who was she?" _Sara asked.

_"Her name was Polly, a Pikachu. She was just a few weeks old when I first met her, I was around my thirties at the time. So technically she was twice my age. Nonetheless we both fell in love at first sight, and I was happy for a few years."_

_ "What happened to her, if you mind me asking?"_

_ "She was taken away from me and moved elsewhere. That pretty much reopened old wounds and I was depressed for months. I'm still looking for her, I wondered where she was taken to."_

_ "Any luck?" _Sara asked.

_"Yeah, I found one of our children."_

Sara raised an eyebrow. _"You found your own kid?"_

_ "Same place where Mark found his Pikachu."_

Tesla told her how the elder Dixierat, his sixty or seventy-something year old son, was beaten up and depressed. Then how they met for the first time.

_"He spent thirty years depressed because he wanted to meet you?" _

_"Thirty years," _said Tesla. _"This disfigured Pikachu who was crippled with arthritis was my son. Life sucked for him, he never had access to the technologies that cure age-related diseases. His life was miserable, until we both cross paths. I told him who I was and said I was also looking for him, he melted in my arms after that."_

_ "Wow," _said Sara. _"I can't imagine what it's like."_

_ "He was an elder, like me, but in much worse conditions. We spent some time together, but he couldn't walk right. So I carried him on my back, which gave him much needed relief. Then he went on and told me he last seen Polly in Nimbasa City, after we said our goodbyes I went straight there and reached a dead end. I didn't sleep well that night."_

Sara nodded, then sat back.

Tesla sat in silence for a moment. He couldn't remember the last time his own kind asked him if he was a father. Then again, he hadn't gave much thought about Volta. Wherever she was, he hoped she was doing okay. A safe bet was that she made it back to Dixie, but there was a chance a trainer might have captured her. Overall, Volta's status was unknown. Nothing he could do about it now.

Then there was Mark's Pikachu, his great-granddaughter, also Volta's aunt. She was perfectly happy with Mark, even though he had nearly gotten her killed yesterday. Tesla wasn't very concerned on how he was taking care of her, but a part of him forced him to take note of it. Maybe it was because she was a relative and Tesla cared about family. Sounds reasonable enough, she came from the same brood as Volta. Mark's Pikachu was basically a hefty eater, as far as he could tell she had a bigger appetite than Emolga and the Cheering Pokémon combined. Like her Dixierat cousins, she was a small sack of lard who does absolutely nothing but sleep and eat. It almost as if she was using Mark as a way to get food, almost.

_"Something on your mind, Tesla?" _Sara asked.

_"Yes," _said Tesla. _"I think I found a piece of a much bigger puzzle."_

_ "What is it?"_

_ "I'll tell you later until I figure more stuff out, but I think I'm on to something."_

Volts stirred and sat up. _"Can I go outside?" _he asked.

_"No, Sweetie," _said Sara. _"We aren't allowed."_

_ "Why?"_

_ "I don't know, Volts. I just don't know."_

_ "I do," _said Tesla. _"They told me when I tried to go through the checkpoint. Believe me, you don't wanna know."_

Volts nodded, then laid back down.

**. . .**

Nobark had no idea what happened.

He woke up feeling good, yet confused. Everything felt as bizarre as it felt right. Nobark opened his eyes and found Tendon sleeping next to him, her arms were wrapped around him like rubber bands. The Hoodlum Pokémon carefully pried the Audino's arms off of him and sat up. He blushed. His pelt was pulled all the way down to his ankles, exposing his bare legs. Nobark grabbed his pelt and pulled it back up, then climbed back up to his feet.

_"Had a good time, Nobark?" _Tendon asked.

He turned to her, _"What just happened?"_

_ "You came in to get pills for your Parkinson's disease, we'd just done the transaction."_

Well that made sense. Tendon does "charge" for her services, just why he couldn't remember leaving the command bunker for the infirmary was anyone's guess. He turned toward the door and tripped, Nobark grabbed the wall and steadied himself. Tendon stood up and wrapped his arms around Nobark. _"Want me to jog your memory?"_

_ "No thanks," _said Nobark. _"I'm heading back now, take care."_

The Audino was disappointed, yet she had her fun. She laid back down on her molding mattress and sniffled, then let out a fart.

Nobark left the room before he had a chance to smell it. He found the pills Tendon was talking about. It was sitting on the counter among the heap of junk she never bother throwing out. Nobark grabbed it and left the infirmary. He kept a steady pace down the walking trail. His fellow insubordinates roll their eyes over him. They stayed focused to their chores, assuming they even do chores.

When Nobark got back into his bedroom, he sat the pills aside and laid down on his cot. He groaned, his head throbbed from harsh stress. He looked at his left hand, it was twitching a little. Barely noticeable. Nobark turned over and pressed his face against the pillow, then sleep off the afternoon.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter 9_

Tesla slept through most of the evening and woke up again just around eight. He found himself back in the living quarters, lying on the same bed he slept in the other night. Either it was Rex or Ash had brought him in, he wasn't quite sure.

He drifted off and went back forty years, somewhere around the height of the height of Irvin's power. Maybe it was between the height of his power and the decline. Yeah, somewhere around there, when he was in his late fifties. He went over what Nobark was like then. How acted. How he reacted. There wasn't much to go through. Nobark had a predictable schedule that he rarely changed. He wakes up around five-thirty in the morning. Washes. Eats breakfast. Then goes back into his bedroom doing who-knew-what. Around noon, he comes out. Lays down on the couch; the right couch, always the right couch. He would lay there sleeping or going through his thoughts. Occasionally he would have some goodies in his pelt. Goodies where his fellow teammates would steal for kicks. Then around evening he would step outside, again, doing who-knew-what. Tesla had seen him stare off occasionally toward the private graveyard, where it housed their dead buddies. Finally he would come back in. Eat dinner. Then goes straight to bed. The cycle repeats itself the next morning.

Of course, that was when he was left alone.

On days where he eventually participated with the others he would keep to himself. Nobark would not say a word, he would do what he was told. Sometimes he would speak, but mostly to himself, but if necessary, to Irvin and Tesla. The old Pikachu would eventually get Nobark to converse in usual things, but it was mostly small-talk. The Scrafty would often go on about politics, he always had an interest in politics. It eventually proved disastrous down the line, such as that visit to Team Rocket's headquarters.

_Team Rocket._

Tesla jumped off the bed and head back into the lobby. Ash and his friends were gone, but Pikachu and Axew were still there. Their eyes glued to the TV like zombies. Sara and Volts hadn't budged, they were still there where he left them. Sitting side by side, holding each other. Rex was behind the reception desk, typing away on his computer.

"You got a moment?" Tesla asked.

Rex turned, "Sure, what do you need?"

"Mark brought USB sticks with him, I gotta see what he brought in them."

Rex nodded, he pulled out the Red Cross bag and opened it up. He pulled out the PVC folder and pulled out the USB sticks: Two 64GB thumb-drives, recently bought from RadioShack. Rex plugged them both into his computer and opened them up, Tesla hopped on the desk for a better view.

On the LED monitor were a two folders. One labeled _Photos, _the other _Videos/ Audios. _Tesla asked Rex to click the _Photos _first. There were a couple dozen folders crammed into the folder. Most had numbers, some had labels such as _Holidays _and _Vacation. _Tesla felt it all sink in. "The bastard got everything, he really did have his crummy hands on everything!"

"Talk about an invasion of privacy," said Rex. "Just which specific file are we looking for?"

Tesla pointed to a numbered file. "Click on that one, and make sure you have selected 'Read Only' before you opened them."

Rex selected the file, on it came variety of photos. He set the file to gallery view to make things easier. The first photo that came up was Irvin back in his more youthful days. His hair was black, his glasses thick, and the stub of his missing hand bandaged firmly. Irvin was in a pose while a younger – and leaner – Tesla sat perched on his knee.

"You look high-prime back then," said Rex. "Is this your trainer?"

"Yup, that's Irvin. Mark's grandfather took this photo of us, Irvin practically had to coax me into participating because I just didn't want to."

"What did he do?"

"He said he'll give me peanut butter, and I love peanut butter."

Ash's Pikachu hopped up on the table and looked on, _"You don't look too happy."_

_ "I wasn't," _said Tesla in Pokémon speech. _"But I managed to open up later on when the team started coming together."_

Rex pointed to the bandaged stump of where Irvin's hand used to be. "What happened to his hand?"

"Irvin wanted me to use Thundershock on a copper pipe, he practically held it up and said to give it all I got. So I did."

"You took off his hand?"

Tesla nodded. "Blew it apart, more specifically. He got knocked out for a few moments, and I took the time thinking how much of a dumbass he was. When he came to, he just shrugged it off like it was no big deal, even though there was blood squirting out what was left of his wrist."

They went through more photos, mostly from around that same period. Once again Tesla saw his more youthful and angry self in several photos that he strangely remembered being in. And in a lot of the photos, most showed a grumpy Pikachu with eye-goggles. Tesla shrugged and turned to Ash's Pikachu. _"So how are you doing, Pikachu?"_

_ "I'm doing fine," _said Pikachu. _"I'm just about ready to head back home."_

_ "Kanto?" _

_"Yes, at Pallet Town."_

Tesla looked away. _"Is there something wrong, Tesla?" _Pikachu asked.

_"The thought of you guys leaving Unova, it's just not settling well for me."_

_ "You can come with us, Tesla. Isn't Kanto your home too?"_

Tesla frowned. _"There's nothing left but ghosts there. And just for the record, Pallet Town was where I last seen my mother and father." _Then he added, _"And what about my family here? The Dixierats? I can't just leave them. That would upset them a lot."_

_ "There's gotta be something we could do."_

_ "Wow, Pikachu. You're just like Ash: Never recognize when some things are a done deal."_

Pikachu stared at him, then lowered his head.

_"Look," _said Tesla. _"I appreciate the offer in all, but there is no way I could move a whole army across the world to Kanto. I'll need a big enough boat to haul them in."_

Tesla turned back to Rex and said, "Okay, back out of that file. There is one specific file that might be useful."

Rex backed out and Tesla scanned the list. "There, that one. Click that."

Rex clicked it, and on the screen came a dozen or so photos of what looked like cruel acts of torture. "What is all this?" he asked.

"Photos Nobark took when he was in Team Rocket Headquarters."

He scrolled through the photos. There were Pokémon in cages, Pokémon tied in ropes. Many were disfigured. Eyes and limbs missing, with horrible slash marks across their body. Most Pokémon didn't acknowledge the camera, but for those that do, they showed mercy. Pikachu looked away, Tesla wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "This is the reason why Nobark is doing all this, he cracked open Pandora's Box and found all sorts of horror inside. Amazing he even smuggled the camera out. Not sure how he did it, but he did."

"How come Irvin haven't gave them to the police?" Rex asked.

"Why should he? The world doesn't care. Sure they would get upset about it, but that's all it does. It reacts more than it acts. By the time the photos even come out, all those Pokémon would be dead. Besides, they were taken decades ago. They are fit more for a textbook than a newspaper, assuming they would even make it into the public eye at all."

Tesla hopped off the desk and stretched his legs. "Go through the rest of the files if you want, I know pretty much everything on them."

"You're heading back to bed?" Rex asked.

"Yes, I'll see you in the morning. Bye."

Tesla walked out of the lobby and headed back for the living quarters, then crawled back to bed.

**. . .**

Mark made it to the neighboring town of Carbondale with little trouble. He kept a sharp eye out for police motorcycles and squad cars and the local Officer Jenny. So far no police, or wanted fliers with his face posted on walls either. He had to do something. Calling home was out of the question. If the Soho PD knew everything about him then he cannot afford to call his friends and family for help. Not just yet. For now, he was on his own.

He first stop was at a barber shop. The hair stylist was a woman, somewhere around her thirties and forties. Mark introduced himself as Bruce Reacher – a random name he found in a book – and asked her for a military-style haircut. He felt upset about shaving off his raven-hair, he wore the style since he was six. The last time he had to shave it off was in military school, replacing it with the clean cut. This was a good time to bring it back. The cops would be looking for a kid with thick black hair, not a centimeter-thick buzz on the scalp. Emolga barely recognized him when the barber finished, but his warm smile brought back familiarity. Mark opened up his wallet. Despite the saltwater the cash inside wasn't ruined. A bit stiff and flat, but still legal tender. Mark handed the barber forty Pokédollars, scooped up Emolga, and left.

Mark went to the discount store and browsed through the clothing section. He found a pair of olive green cargo pants and a matching outdoors jacket. Since Mark was heading out into the wilderness to hunt down the elusive Fort Wernher, he would need to dress the part. Besides, he needed new clothes anyway. His blue jeans were fraying at the leg cuffs and the back pockets were tearing off. Mark went in the dressing room, sat Emolga down, and stripped off his pants and boots. Emolga watched as Mark sat her friend's three Poké balls aside as he emptied out the pockets, then slipped on the cargo pants and stuffed them into the pockets. Mark checked his work boots. They were scratched and scuffed with the heels ground flat. They needed to be replaced.

No, that would wait. Getting new clothes was one thing, but there was no way he was going through the forest with footwear he never worn before. They would kill his feet after walking a hundred meters of rough terrain. It was better to keep them on, a pair of boots with wear-and-tear would offset the crisp new clothes look, which would make things easier if the Unova Regional Police comes searching through the town.

Mark slipped his boots back on and went to the hygiene area. He grabbed a travel toothbrush with an equally small tube of toothpaste, then grabbed a packet of disposable razors and a small can of shaving cream. Mark then carried them over to the counter and asked for a paper bag, as the clerk was scanning his items he stuffed his old jeans into it. Mark paid off his purchases and left the store. After getting some distance from the store, Mark scooped out the dental and shaving stuff and stuck them into the cargo pants pocket. He found a dumpster just next to a bookstore, and after checking if nobody was watching, tossed the bag inside.

His last stop for the day was at a cheap motel. It looked a little rundown, out of the way. Mark checked-in for one night as Joe Fisher. It was a common enough name, and he kind of looked like a fisherman. Mark stepped into his hotel room and stripped off all of his clothes and stepped into the bathroom. Emolga followed him inside, he scooped her up and they both took a short shower. Just long enough to get soaped up and washed down, not long enough to savor the moment. The Sky Squirrel Pokémon whined when he turned off the water after only two minutes, Mark whispered soft words into her ears and calmed her down. He grabbed a hotel towel. Dried himself off. Then wiped down Emolga.

Mark tossed the towel on the floor and brushed his teeth, then shaved off the two-day old buzz he was growing. He tossed the razor into the trash can then head back into the main room. He put all his clothes back on, even kept his shoes on. Mark wasn't sure if the police were still on to him, he must be ready to leave at a moment's notice. The last time was the last time, he was determined not to be caught unprepared.

"Okay, Emolga," said Mark as he sat down on the bed. "I need you to keep an ear open when we sleep tonight. If you hear any unusual noises, such as car doors slamming and such, wake me. Don't worry if it's a false alarm, I'm not going to be _that _dead asleep."

Emolga nodded, "Emo."

The Sky Squirrel Pokémon then rubbed her belly. "Emolga!"

"Oh, that's right! You haven't ate yet!"

"Eem," Emolga nodded.

Mark pulled out his Pikachu and Cheering Pokémon's Poké balls and called out their respective owners, they materialized a moment later. "How hungry are you guys?"

All of his Pokémon rubbed their bellies and wined high-pitched squeals, Mark's Pikachu's stomach even let out an audible growl. "Okay," their trainer said. "It's an on the house night. You guys stuff yourselves till your bellies bulge, because it may be a while before we have a meal again."

His Pokémon let out loud cheers, but Mark shushed them. "Not so loud, guys!"

The girls quickly slapped their hands over their mouths, then sorrowfully nodded.

Mark picked up the hotel phone and ordered room service, the maid brought in a load of food. Not exactly restaurant quality food, but reasonable enough for a hotel. His Pokémon chowed down on mash potatoes, pot pie, lo mein noodles, and corn bread. They went through the food so fast that Mark couldn't remember the stuff he had ordered. "Save some for me, guys!"

His Pokémon devoured it all within half an hour. Satisfied, Emolga, Pikachu, Plusle and Minun flopped back on the bed and stuck out their bellies. Mark scooped them up and cradled them, then turned on the TV. They watched several TV shows and a little bit of news. Surprisingly there were no breaking news reports coming out of Soho. His face and name didn't appear on the screen, nor did Tesla's. It seemed like the town was keeping its business to itself. Mark relaxed, but only a little. They could have called his dad and told him what happened.

When he noticed his Pokémon had fallen asleep, Mark set the alarm to go off at five-thirty in the morning. He poked Emolga in her belly. She jumped, her eyes popped open. "Remember, keep an ear out."

Mark stuck his finger in Emolga's ear and she giggled. He rubbed it for a minute, then turned off the lights.

He laid there in the darkness, staring at the ceiling while he listened to the hum of the ventilation system. Here he was, his day shot up from the start. First they dragged his ass out of the Pokémon Center and shoved him into a squad car, then tossed his poor Emolga in the trunk. He boldly escaped custody inside the jaws of the Soho Police Department and managed to escape the town through the train yard. In the process he had stolen a squad car, trespassed into private property, and incapacitate two police officers, all of it within Soho's town line. He swore he owed Tesla more than an apology. Mark hadn't understood what it was like to have an entire town come after him. But Tesla had an entire _city _on his tail, for twenty years! He squint his eyes. Mark _really _owed him more than an apology. Not for all the teasing or the insults, he had to do something to at least make things up for their relationship.

Mark turned and glanced at his Pikachu. She lay flat on her back, her mouth propped open while snoring slightly. He held out a hand and rubbed her ears. They twitched, the same way Tesla's would. Mark wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. She made a small smile and snuggled her cheek into his wrist.

_Don't shock me, girl._

Things were a little rusty when he first took her home. At first she was nervous. She was born and raised in total wilderness, away from civilization. Now she was in the middle of it, right under a roof of a house. Pikachu was at first shy with his friends but instantly warmed up to his grandfather, Mark had to pull her off of him to get her to stop licking his face. His dad wasn't sure what to think. His own son, owning a descendant of a Pokémon who had been around for at least three generations now, was a concept he did not see coming. Pikachu wanted to lick his face raw, but Mark held her back. Not quite the best first impression, but nonetheless a heart-warming experience.

Her change of diet was radical, to her at least. The Mouse Pokémon had spent most of her life eating garbage and spoiled food. Now she had an almost constant supply of fresh meals, all for her heart's desire. At breakfast, lunch, and dinner, she would cobble down her food before even Emolga was finished with her meal. Mark wondered how much she could take in, so he kept prepping her meals until she stopped. It took her at least five, _five_ plate-loads before Pikachu couldn't eat anymore.

Weeks went by. Her appearance began to change. Pikachu started building up more flab around her waist, and then arms and thighs, and a little on her cheeks. A small pot belly formed. Not really noticeable when on all-fours, but definitely when she was standing up. She liked it if Mark were to give her a tummy rub. Either she liked the ticklish feeling or she liked the feel of her newly crowned fat being rubbed. She was an odd one. This is a Pikachu who loved him with all her heart, and her love is returned in the form of food and constant attention.

Mark reached over and kissed her on the forehead and stroke her cheek. Pikachu stirred and her eyes fluttered open. Those black pearls of hers stared back at him for a moment, then she licked him on the nose. Mark silently chuckled and whispered into her ear, "Is there anything you want me to do for you?"

Pikachu nodded. "Pi."

"What is it?"

Pikachu gestured to it, and Mark's eyes bulged open. _What!?_

**. . .**

_"You're still creepy," _Bubbles said again for the dozen time.

They sat around the campfire roasting hotdogs and marshmallows. The morning's drama long cooled off. Smugleaf twirled her hotdog in the fire, getting it all black and juicy. For most of the day, Bubbles hadn't said a word to anybody. Her bruises were already fading, but she still felt sore. Smugleaf took it easy on her, she would offer Bubbles something to eat on occasion and she would merely nibble it. Crackers and bread were all she ate today. Smugleaf was worried, personal experience told her she would rot if Bubbles don't cheer up soon. Somehow she must get her to see the best of things, yet Fort Wernher was more depressive than her. The Grass Snake Pokémon tried placing an arm around her shoulder, Bubbles simply swatted it away.

"_Don't touch me," _Bubbles hissed.

Smugleaf raised an eyebrow. _"What, after all I done for you."_

"_Not that, I . . . I just wanna be left alone for a while."_

Bubbles lifted her marshmallow and blew it out, then chewed it up.

"_Bubbles," _said Smugleaf. _"It's a beautiful night out. Look, you could see the Galatical Plain!"_

"_I see it, it's beautiful. But I don't feel like watching the stars tonight."_

A figure appeared in the darkness, Smugleaf watched as it come closer. It materialized into Nobark, he looked quite happy tonight. "How's Bubbles?" he asked in human speech.

"Moody," said Smugleaf. "Wotter beat her up this morning."

Nobark's eyes widened. "He did what?"

"He beat her up, he didn't break anything but gave her a bloody nose and bad bruises."

The Scrafty shook his head and turned to Bubbles. _"I'm sorry about that, I really am. Wotter wasn't always like this, he used to be like you."_

"_Smugleaf said his trainer turned against him," _said Bubbles.

"_Much more than that I'm afraid. His trainer poured Epson salt over his genitals and legs, then proceed to beat him with his fists. The salt got into the split skin, doubling the pain. He was left to sit in the dark in a pool of his own urine and blood for the rest of the night before Team Rocket came and took him away."_

Bubbles stared at him for a moment, she glanced back at Smugleaf for a moment then turned her attention back. _"What happened next?"_

"_I bust him out," _said Nobark. _"I freed him from his cage. In return, he says he's forever in my debt. I told him to sit tight for a while. When my trainer past away, I went and tracked him down. Found him in a cave, waiting for me."_

"_He waited for years for you!?" _Bubbles asked.

Nobark nodded. _"He's the Discipline Pokémon, he would wait a hundred years for me if he had to."_

Smugleaf noticed Nobark's arm was twitching again. "Nobark?" Smugleaf asked.

"Yes, Smugleaf?"

"How well are you sleeping at night?"

Nobark shrugged. "Terrible, I would stay up for hours trying to catch some Z's."

"How bad is it?"

"Really bad, but I'll live," he turned towards the command bunker. "You girls go get some shut-eye, we might have a busy day tomorrow."

"What's happening?" Smugleaf asked.

"Something's got Soho all stirred up, we can't figure out more because the radio's batteries are dead."

"Should we send Scout in?"

Scout was the most experienced Patrat and a longtime member of the PRA. Smugleaf and Nobark saved him from a Team Rocket safehouse before they were able to execute him. "I'll send him first thing in the morning. If you're up to it, you can head out and poke around yourself."

Smugleaf nodded. "I'll take a look around."

"Okay. Night, Smugleaf."

"Goodnight, Nobark."

Nobark disappeared into the darkness a moment later. Bubbles stared at the spot Nobark had once stood, then said, _"So all this because of trainers going rouge?"_

"_Much more than that, Bubbles," _said Smugleaf. _"All these Pokémon came from trainers who either passed away or were given away as property. A lot of Pokémon accept this kind of fate, but there were always those who get a little crazy. Which is understandable. Imagine spending years or even decades with your trainer, then she just simply gave you away one day because she doesn't want you anymore."_

Bubbles shot a look at her and barked, _"Gloria would never give me away!"_

"_Of course she won't, but what if someone forced her to?"_

"_Mommy wouldn't force us!"_

"_Not her either. Think, Bubbles. You are a rare shiny sprite of Oshawotts everywhere. They are blue, you are pink. People would love to have pink Oshawotts like you under their care, people would also love to make more pink Oshawotts as well. As a result, you would be violated beyond your fertile imagination. Maybe they would drug you to keep you docile. Done that to my own mother, keeps her calm while they work in helping her lay eggs. I can bet they done that to your own mother as well."_

"_Mommy?"_

"_No, not Gloria's mom. _Your _mom."_

Bubbles scratched her head. _"I never had a mother."_

"_Everyone has a mother," _said Smugleaf. _"You just never met her."_

The look on Bubble's face showed confusion and shock. Smugleaf wasn't sure if she was hurt or stupefied. But her eyes, those black pearl eyes, showed a hidden temper. The Grass Snake Pokémon clenched her teeth, expecting the Sea Otter Pokémon would lash out at her in some way. But no, Bubbles calmed down and turned away. _"You're so nice, and at the same time, you're so mean. I don't think I'll ever figure you out."_

Bubbles got back to her feet. _"Can we go to bed now?"_

"_Sure, give me a second."_

Smugleaf pulled the hotdog off the roasting stick and gulped it down. When she felt it hit the bottom of her stomach she got back up to her feet and grinned. _"Want more happy juice?"_

"_No. No, I don't."_

"_Oh well then, more for me."_

**. . .**

Wotter woke up in the middle of the night panting. His body was covered with cold sweat and his bed was soaking with it. The Discipline Pokémon got out and pulled the comforter off, then pressed his hands against his temples.

For a moment there he thought he was back in that locked room of his own feces and blood. Epson salt was scattered everywhere. On the walls, on the floor, on him. Wotter swore he almost taste it, he shivered from the thought. He rushed over to the fridge and searched it for beer. There weren't any left. So Wotter went diving into the garbage piles for a precious unopened bottle. Sometimes his stockpiles of beer would get buried, often going unnoticed for weeks. One time he had a keg buried in the garbage piles, Wotter hadn't noticed it for three days until a garbage avalanche unearthed it. It wasn't even empty either. There was still beer inside, though it was a little flat from age.

_Oh thank Arceus! _Wotter thought.

There, among the discarded gym socks was a half-empty six-pack. Wotter fished a bottle out and popped the top off with his teeth, then gulped the beer down like a baby drinking milk.

He took a deep breath. His thoughts clouded up, the memory suppressed. Wotter sat against the wall and stared at the clock. It was an old digital atomic clock. Its batteries long dead. The face was blank, devoid of numbers and time. Wotter couldn't remember the last time he ever read a clock. For him, human time stopped a long time ago, when he was happy, beaming with pride.

And used by his bastard of a trainer.

His name and his face had faded into history, but his actions still felt they were caused only yesterday. Wotter pleaded for mercy. Back then he was a loyal Pokémon, and what happened was an accident. Did he understood it was an accident? He didn't mean it at all, so why did he lashed out on him like that?

Wotter drained the beer bottle into his stomach and tossed it against the wall. It bounced off and vanished into the garbage piles. He popped open the second beer bottle and drunk it down. Wotter got up and grabbed the comforter, then climbed back into bed. He sat the beer bottle on the nightstand and shut his eyes. Sleep didn't come. After ten minutes, it still didn't come. Wotter growled to himself and got out of bed, looks like it was one of those nights again.

He stepped out of his bedroom and walked out into the starry night. The familiar Galactical Plain shined above, giving the sleeping Fort Wernher a soft glow. Wotter blinked and eyed the insubordinate barracks. It was a small nondescript building. Solidly concrete like the others. In the old days it used to be an infantry barracks for human soldiers. Now they housed PRA conscripts, both veterans and recruits. Wotter looked around for any insomniacs. There were none. He slowly approached the building and pressed his back against the wall. He listened again. Still nothing. His ears weren't sensitive enough to pick up the Swoobats. He didn't need to. They know his signature and would peg him as a friendly. They keep to themselves from everyone's business. Their job was to search for foreigners, not eavesdrop on their own.

Wotter approached the front door and twisted it. It was unlocked. Typical. The lazy noobs would always leave them unlocked. They never bother to lock the doors because they were confident that the Swoobats would protect them. What they hadn't intended was to be intruded upon by their own. Wotter stepped inside and was greeted by snores, burps, and loud farts. It was loud as it was putrid. The bad diet combined with the lack of hygiene made the barracks feel like a swamp. Wotter powered through it and shut the door behind him, then scanned the room.

The place was lined with triple-bunk bed, all built out of wood. He and Woody built the bunk beds when PRA membership tripled. There weren't enough military cots for everyone, so they had to scrounge up and recycle all the two by fours they can to build beds for the Pokémon. There were no mattresses unfortunately, so a lot of Pokémon got bed sores in the morning. Wotter wondered why they hadn't complained, a Pokémon like Bubbles would b*tch about living conditions by now.

He walked down the rows of bunk beds, searching for a particular Pokémon. A small one. Preferably a really young and inexperienced one. They don't put up much resistance because they don't understand what was happening. His eyes homed in on a Panpour. She was a new, young, a fresh recruit of three months. The Spray Pokémon was apparently shy when Smugleaf brought her in. Nobark gave her a warm welcome, even introduced her around Fort Wernher. She got settled in after a few days and had melted in with the rest of the recruits.

Wotter approached the Panpour. Like the rest of the recruits she was out cold, which made things a whole lot easier. She slept on the bottom bunk, quite close the ground. Smugleaf mentioned she had a fear of heights. _Who doesn't? _Wotter reached down and scooped her up, careful not to wake her. He then walked out of the barracks and head back to the elite bunker. Wotter took her into his room, locked the door, and laid her gently on his bed.

Then he started playing rough.

Dewott crawled on top of her and clamped a hand over her mouth. The Spray Pokémon's eyes shot open, her pupils shrunk with horror.

"_You scream, or even cry, I'll snap your neck," _Wotter warned. _"Do you understand that?"_

The Panpour nodded, her eyes teared up.

"_Good."_

The Discipline Pokémon grabbed the beer off his nightstand. _"Here, drink this. All of it. Now."_

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter 10_

The alarm clock buzzed five-thirty as it was programmed. Mark killed the alarm and sat up. His Pokémon groaned and murmured under their breaths.

"Emo?" Emolga asked.

Mark said, "You can sleep a little longer, girls."

Emolga managed a smile and curled up with a pillow.

Mark got up and walked to the bathroom, stripped off his clothes, and took a short shower. He dried himself off and brushed his teeth and shaved. He then slipped his clothes back on and pocketed the toothbrush and tube of toothpaste. Mark walked back into the hotel room and flipped on the lights, now his Pokémon really complained. "Use the bathroom," he said, his voice blunt from grogginess. "When you're all done, we're gone."

His Pokémon weren't too happy of waking up early. They were groggy, disoriented even. Nonetheless, they done what they were told. Emolga used the bathroom first, then Pikachu, then both the Cheering Pokémon. Once the toilet was flushed, Mark took the Poké balls and recalled Pikachu and the Cheering Pokémon. Then Emolga leaped up on his shoulder. "Emo," she mumbled.

"You can sleep on my shoulder if you want," said Mark. "It's going to be a while before we get out into the forest."

Emolga nodded, then snuggled on his shoulder.

Mark picked up his shaving kit and pocketed them, then dumped a fifty-dollar bill on the bed along with the key card. He stepped out into the sidewalk. The sun was still below the horizon and the streetlights were still on. Mark scanned the street for morning walkers. There were none. He headed back toward main-street, his eyes scanning for a particular store. His eyes centered on a particular convenience store that kind of looked off. The front window was cracked, but the electric signs were blazing bright as ever. It was open, so he stepped inside.

The front counter was glass, and displayed underneath were a selection of knives. Pocketknives from the left, fixed-blade knives the right. The clerk was a thirty-something year old with messy hair. He looked like a renegade, much like Mark.

"Morning," said the clerk.

"Morning," said Mark. "I'm looking for good quality knives, a fixed-blade and a folding one. Can you help me there?"

The clerk nodded. "What kind of fixed-blade do you want?"

"A smooth blade with a thick rubber handle. If I jammed the blade into something thick, I don't want it slipping out of my hand and slicing my fingers."

The clerk walked over to the right and opened up the display cabinet, he pulled out a knife and sat it on the table. "We don't have any knives with rubber handles but we have one with a carbon-fiber grip. Quite strong, the diamond ridges are guaranteed to grip your palm."

Mark picked up the knife. It was a 14 centimeter blade, carbon-impregnated stainless-steel. The handle, as the clerk have said, was thick with diamond ridges. Mark squeezed the handle, then twirled the blade one-eighty degrees.

"You used to be army?" the clerk asked.

"Yes," said Mark, which was half-true. "It teaches you strict discipline."

"What's your name?"

"Max Pane."

"Well, Max, will this knife suit your needs?"

Mark nodded. "As close as it would get," he sat the knife on the table. "Now for a secondary knife, same standards as the last one."

The clerk walked to the left and opened up another cabinet, then picked out a pocketknife. "Will this do?"

The pocketknife had a metal handle, the blade also made out of stainless steel. Mark flicked it open, the blade was carbon-impregnated. He gripped the handle and twirled it one-eighty degrees, he nodded. "This would do, how much?"

"Five-hundred Pokédollars."

Mark whistled. "I think that about does it."

He fished out his wallet and noticed he had barely enough cash left. Mark handed over most of his Pokédollar bills and the clerk counted them, he then grabbed the holster to the hunting knife and handed it to him. The holster was a thick velvet black with a secondary pouch. There was also a mini Velcro strap with a snap-on button to hold the knife in place. Mark slipped the knife back into the holster, then tucked the pocketknife into its secondary pouch. "Enjoy your purchase, Max," said the clerk.

"I will," said Mark.

Mark stepped out of the store and strapped the holster to his belt, he then walked to the corner of the street before waking Emolga. "We're heading to the forest now, I'll wake you when we get there."

"Em," she nodded.

**. . .**

Tesla woke up around the same time Mark did. He sat up on his bed and looked around. Ash was sleeping in the next bed. His Pikachu was curled up in his arms, snoozing away. Cilan and Iris were sleeping in their, while Rex slept near the door. Sara and Volts were nowhere in sight. Either they were in their Poké balls or sleeping in the next room.

The Mouse Pokémon got out the bed and smoothed out the covers, then headed for the restroom. He grabbed a small Pokémon Center shampoo bottle out of the dispenser and took a long shower. Tesla used up the entire bottle while the floor of the shower got a fresh yellow plush carpet. He stepped out, dried himself off, then brushed his teeth using the Pokémon Center toothbrush and toothpaste. Tesla grinned in the mirror. No matter how many times he brushed, his teeth were still brown and rotten.

He tossed the toothbrush into the trash can and sat the tube of toothpaste on the counter, then walked back to the lobby. The Red Cross bag sat behind the receptionist desk, ready to go. Tesla looked around the room. It was empty. The spot where Sara and Volts sat was bare, the couch behind the TV was empty as well. He was alone.

Or so he thought.

_"You're leaving now?"_

Tesla turned around and saw Pinki standing behind him. _"No, not yet. I'm just getting ready."_

_ "Remember to find Tendon," _Pinki said again. _"Tell her I want answers."_

Tesla nodded. _"You want the whole truth?"_

_ "Yes, everything you could get out of her."_

_ "Alright then."_

Then Pinki asked, _"You want something to eat?"_

_ "Cereal, with soymilk."_

Pinki head to the back and returned with a bowl of cereal, Tesla sat behind the TV as she handed it to him. _"You ever ate Pokémon food?" _she asked.

_"Not a single millimeter," _said Tesla. _"I spent my entire life eating naturally growing fruits and vegetables and people food. Mostly people food though, even though they're not designed for my biology."_

_ "The PRA don't eat Pokémon food either," _Pinki asked.

_ "Chances are they got that habit from Nobark, Irvin never fed his Pokémon the usual food. He always gave them people food because he treated his Pokémon like human beings rather than Pokémon."_

Tesla sat back and flipped on the TV. There weren't anything worth watching this early in the day. A lot of the channels had pre-paid commercials running. The channels that were playing looked like old reruns from a few years ago. Tesla flipped to the local news channel, then muted it. _"You ever thought of leaving Soho?" _he asked Pinki.

_ "I can't, it's my home."_

_ "So was Faraday Island, so was Kanto. I was chewed up and spat out from both of them. It's not really hard to leave, assuming you have a place in mind you wanna see."_

Pinki asked, _"How long since you've been away from home?"_

_"A few months now, can't say how long. I'm losing track of the days. Maybe in the end I would settle down somewhere. But not here, not in Unova. It's too close to Faraday Island._

_ "How about Sinnoh? They have Mice Pokémon there."_

_ "I'm not sure that I wanna be with my own kind," _said Tesla. _"The world is a big place, and there are a lot of Pokémon out there. I wonder how many of them are corrupted, like PRA-corrupted, if you know what I mean," _Tesla took a bite out of his cereal. _"If the PRA is bigger than we have anticipated, then they could have branches all over Unova and maybe all over the world. The Pokémon Resistance Army is searching for freedom, civil rights, and Nobark isn't going anywhere with it. Terrorizing a town into closing itself up from the world marks the PRA as a failed cause. Even if Nobark succeeds, he's still going to breakdown. I know his mental state, it's bad. I shouldn't have convinced Irvin not to put him down."_

Steam poured out of Pinki's ears, she torted, _"If you hadn't, App would still be alive."_

Tesla nodded. _"She would, but Tendon is, as you say, a loose cannon. She would eventually get to a point where she had enough and either one, leave Soho and never come back, or two, defect and kill either you or App."_

Pinki blinked, then let out a sob. _"She should have got me instead of my sister."_

_ "Then your sister would be in your place feeling the same thing for you," _said Tesla. _"Same behavior, but different names. I wouldn't even tell the difference if I was speaking to App instead of you."_

_ "What do you mean?"_

_ "Your identical twins?"_

Pinki nodded. _"Yeah, the DNA tests showed our genetic code are almost identical. They're almost mirror images of themselves."_

_ "The way you two are set up, your problems are universal. It's one of those weird math equations the universe conger up. If your sister is spared, but you die. She would suffer as much as you are suffering now. What happened to App is not your fault, someone's going to get the burden no matter who gets murdered."_

Pinki asked, _"How do you know all that?" _

_"I spent a lot of time reading textbooks of various material, and I spoke to Pokémon first hand to back up the knowledge. I'm an old Pikachu, Pinki. Old age brings wisdom."_

_ "But it also brings senility."_

_ "True, I've been fighting it for years. Sometimes it's just hard to think around certain times of the day."_

Rex stepped into the room, he was just letting out a yawn when he noticed the old Pikachu. "Morning," he said. "You get up early?"

"Only when there's something important," said Tesla. "Is everything ready to go?"

"Everything's all set," said Rex. "Wait, you wanna go now?"

Tesla nodded. "Yes."

"You wanna say goodbye to Ash first?"

"I'm going to see him again, I just don't want anyone slow me down right now."

A part of Tesla wanted to say goodbye, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Might as well let Ash sleep off his morning. Soho had enough problems brewing around that Tesla doesn't wish to agitate the town more than he have to. He needed to get out before Ash wakes up, probably seeing him would remind the kid to seek a peaceful alternative, when the chances for one were slim to none.

Rex sighed and turned around. "I'm gonna go get dressed, then I'll drop you off at the forest. You sure you can handle yourself, Tes? Cause from that point on, you're on your own."

"I can handle myself," said Tesla. "How do you think I lived for so long?"

**. . .**

PRA conscripts woke up to find the Panpour missing, though no one raised the alarm. It was common for new recruits to come and go. Some new recruits might even stay for half an hour before wandering off into the forest. Sometimes never coming back. Nobark managed to track most cases down, he claimed that he sent the new recruits to cells around Unova for certain missions. Nobody asked where those cells were or the nature of the missions. The PRA never question things related to their job descriptions.

While everyone was eating breakfast around the fire pits, Wotter came out to join them. A few eyes rolled over him, but a handful remained fixed. Certain PRA members had felt Wotter's wrath and learned to fear him. He could lash out on them at any time. Either in front of everybody or behind closed doors. It doesn't matter. The only Pokémon who stood up to Wotter so far was Smugleaf, and that was years ago. The Pokémon who feared Wotter were mostly first-evolution Pokémon, assuming they were the kind of Pokémon who evolve. The common victims were water-types, though other types were affected as well. He was especially harsh on fire-types. When a Tepig gone missing three years back, there were rumors that Wotter had killed the Fire Pig Pokémon and roast him on a stick in the middle of the night. Which would make sense, since Fort Wernher smelled like bacon for three days after the Tepig's disappearance.

Nobody asked Wotter if he had seen the Panpour. Mostly because there were no prior heat between the two. The Spray Pokémon was young and recent, no time for rivalry to form. So nobody bothered asking him about it. Wotter grabbed a few carrots from a cooler and nibbled on them. Scout came up and asked him if he wanted anything, the Discipline Pokémon shook his head and turned away. While everyone was finishing up, Nobark came from behind. The conscripts didn't notice him until he was standing right next to Wotter. They all jumped in shock, but Wotter just sat there. He didn't mind Nobark's presence as he was a close friend from the old days.

Like him, the Scrafty was a far cry from the one he first met. Nobark walked like a zombie. Back hunched over. Arms hanging loosely from the shoulders. There was a bruise on his forehead, apparently fresh.

"_You okay, Nobark?" _Wotter asked.

_"Had a flashback from my battling days," _he said. _"Head-butted the wall by accident."_

_ "Sleepwalking?"_

_ "No, I just got up and slammed against solid concrete. The wall didn't crack but my head hurts like f*ck."_

_ No angry Nobark today, _Wotter thought.

He lazily strolled through the PRA sitting groups toward Scout, everyone backed away in fear he would change moods without warning. _"Go find Smugleaf," _he said. _"There's something going on around Soho, I need you and Smugleaf to go find out what it is."_

Scout nodded. _"Yes, sir."_

Scout got up and head toward the elite bunker, then Nobark head back towards his. Wotter sat and watched him wobble on his feet. The Hoodlum Pokémon tripped and caught a wall with his shoulder. He held it in place for a moment, then regained his balance.

One Pokémon mustered up the courage and said to the Dewott. _"You ever worry about him?"_

_ "All the time," _said Wotter without turning his head.

**. . .**

Bubbles was starting to get used to sleeping in a dirty bed in a smelly room, but she was far from comfortable. Having a scaly serpent with legs as a roommate was far from ideal. For one thing she smelled like boiled cabbage, and her breath had a weird mint and dead leaves scent. Her farts were sporadic and rancid, Bubbles wondered to herself how she survived sleeping in the toxic air. She still wanted to go home, but home was no longer there. Mommy was gone. Gloria was gone. All she was left with was a fort filled with oddballs with dirty beds and mountains of garbage.

Not wanting to spend another moment in bed with Smugleaf, she got up and quietly left the room. If Wotter was around the corner, then so be it. She would do anything to be away from Smugleaf for a day.

Bubbles was just about to head out of the elite bunker when the door opened. A Patrat stepped through, Bubbles stopped. She had seen Patrats in the wild before, but she never had met one up close. As far as she could tell, Patrats were paranoid creatures who never let her guard down. But this Patrat wasn't paranoid, nor was it surprised. That was something the Oshawott hadn't expect.

_"Is Smugleaf in her bedroom?" _it asked.

_"Yes," _she said. _"But she's sleeping right now."_

The Scout Pokémon blinked. _"You're Bubbles, right? The one Wotter dragged in here?"_

Bubbles nodded. _"Yup, that's me."_

_ "I heard what happened to what Wotter did to you yesterday. I'm sorry about that."_

_ "It's okay, he didn't break anything."_

_ "You're lucky," _said the Patrat. _"He would do a lot worse if he was feeling up to it."_

_ "Like what?"_

Now the Scout Pokémon was surprised. _"You don't know?"_

_ "What?"_

_ "If Wotter was feeling up to it, he would rape you."_

Bubbles raised an eyebrow. _"What is rape?"_

The Patrat's eyes went big, scaring Bubbles so much that she nearly toppled on her butt._"Oh my f*cking Ho-Oh, you don't even know what is rape is? How old was your trainer, assuming you had one?"_

_ "She was eight!" _Bubbles blurted.

_ "Wow," _said the Patrat. _"You're definitely closed off from the outside world, it would have been a shock if you have learned it the hard way."_

Bubbles ran passed the Patrat, it jumped to the side as she ran of the elite bunker. _"Alright," _it called out. _"Suit yourself!"_

The Sea Otter Pokémon got a short distance away from the bunker before slowing down. She rest against a log and panted. _Closed off, _she thought. _How am I closed off?_

Bubbles looked across Fort Wernher. All sorts of small bi-petal and four-legged Pokémon sat around campfires, they talked amongst themselves as they dug into their breakfasts. Bubbles's stomach growled. Hunger was a concept she had rarely felt. Back with Gloria, she was fed at least four times a day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desert. All yummy and fresh from the oven and freezer. Sometimes she felt peckish, but never had she felt full-blown hunger. For the last three days, she had nothing but marshmallows, fresh-cooked stew, and so-called "vodka." Bubbles hadn't had a single meal since her time here.

Bubbles's belly growled, she let out a moan as she walked across Fort Wernher, looking for a few Pokémon that were friendly. A lot of the Pokémon had creepy looks on their faces, they talked with a tone that sounded wrong. Bubbles avoided them, they reminded her of Wotter.

Eventually she found a fire pit with small Pokémon. They seem friendly enough. There was an Emolga and a Joltik sitting by the fire. Bubbles strolled up and down. The Emolga looked up. _"New here?"_

Bubbles nodded. _"Yeah," _then she asked. _"What's for breakfast?"_

The Emolga reached into a cardboard box. It was greasy around the bottom with numbers written on the side, it looked like it was shipped in by mail and left to sit out in the open for a few weeks. Bubbles watched as the Sky Squirrel Pokémon pulled out an olive-green packet and a water bottle. _"Here," _said the Emolga. _"This is what we have."_

Bubbles looked at the packet's face. Big black letters were imprinted on the pouch, no pictures. _"What is this?"_

_ "They call it a Meal Ready to Eat," _said the Emolga. _"Or just MRE for short."_

_ "Where's the pictures?"_

_ "There isn't any. The MREs can have all sorts of flavors but they all look the same. I'm not sure what that one taste like, so you better get used to what you're eating."_

Bubbles tore the packet open and looked inside. The MRE looked like oatmeal and sawdust compressed into a brick. It looked dry and aged.

_"You gotta add water first," _said the Emolga.

The Sea Otter picked up the bottled water and twist it open, then poured some into the pouch. The brick dissolved and broke apart upon contact.

_"Eat it just like that," _said Emolga. _"Might taste like hard tack if you're lucky."_

_ "Hard tack?" _Bubbles asked.

_"Small easy-to-make biscuits. If made right, should taste like bread. Get the recipe wrong, wet cardboard. A little salt would boost flavor though."_

Bubbles peaked into the pouch, the MRE was pretty much dissolved now. She lifted the MRE and poured some of it into her mouth. She squeezed her eyes and clamped down on her mouth. The MRE taste like soggy breadcrumbs and rotten pineapple. This wasn't made with love and care in mind. No, this was backwash. Mommy wouldn't make food like this. She would take care in adding in the right ingredients, baking it at the right temperature, then serve it for a delicious dinner. The thanksgiving meal, now _that _was food. But this soggy backwash, however, was not.

The Sea Otter Pokémon used whatever will she had left and swallowed it down, it felt like sandpaper had crammed down her throat.

_ "It takes a while to get used to," _said Emolga.

_"Ugh," _Bubbles yucked. _"There goes my appetite!"_

_ "There are some other flavors. If you can read the labels, the MREs wouldn't taste so random."_

Bubbles shot a look at the Sky Squirrel, its expression changed. _"You've lost your trainer too, didn't you."_

That was no question. Bubbles felt the tears rise up again, she held them back. _"I watched her die."_

_ "I saw my trainer got killed in front of me," _said the Emolga. _"I didn't have any time to mourn, the bag just came down over my head and everything went blank."_

_ "What happened?" _Bubbles asked.

_"I don't know, the PRA won't tell me. All I know there was gunshots and blood. It was dark out, I was inside my Poké ball went it all went down."_

The Joltik lift its head out of its own MRE and looked up. _"I ran away from my trainer," _it said. _"I, uh, had done something bad. Really bad. I don't think he would ever forgive me."_

_ "What did you do?" _Bubbles asked.

_"I don't wanna talk about it."_

Bubbles sat back and sighed. _"We've all been through a lot."_

_ "Pales in comparison of Wotter though," _said Emolga. _"His trainer stripped him of his pride and morale, and replaced them with anger and hate. I couldn't imagine the torture the Dewott had been through."_

Bubbles looked around Fort Wernher. _"Do you know what this place is?"_

_ "Not really, all they told me was that this place used to be a military fort. It doesn't have running water or gas, and there's barely enough electricity being generated."_

_ "Big issue for me on that last part," _said the Joltik. _"My body is too small to hold a charge, so I suck whatever juice I can out of batteries and the gennys. As long as I don't Thundershock anything, I think I can scrape by."_

_ "I can share some electricity with you," _said the Emolga.

_"Thanks, but no thanks. You are more needed around here than me, you can't afford to pass out around here."_

Bubbles glanced around the fort again, this time she noticed Smugleaf coming out of the elite bunker. The Grass Snake Pokémon glanced around, saw her, then started running towards her. Her feet moved awkwardly, like a cross between jogging and skipping. Bubbles blinked, the way her tail swung up and down made her brain numb looking at it.

_"Bubbles," _Smugleaf cried. _"I got up and saw you were gone!"_

_ "That room stinks, I had to get fresh air."_

Smugleaf stared at her for a moment. _"Well then, I got a task Nobark needs me to do. Will you be alright while I'm gone?"_

_ "I'll be fine," _said Bubbles. _"I think."_

The Snivy looked up and saw the Emolga. _"Hey, Emolga!"_

_ "Hi, Smugleaf!" _the Emolga waved back.

Smugleaf turned back to Bubbles. _"I see you've already made some friends, a few more might make Wotter back off. Whatever you do, don't get disconnected with them."_

_ "Okay, Smugleaf," _said Bubbles. _"I'll keep in touch."_

Smugleaf hugged Bubbles for a moment, then kissed her on the cheek. The Oshawott's mouth tasted sour, she squealed as Smugleaf pulled away. _"See yah later, Bubbles!" _Smugleaf chirped, using a tone that oddly sounded like Gloria.

_You're still creepy._

When Smugleaf was out of earshot, Bubbles wiped the cheek she kissed with her wrist. _"Ugh, she's so wrong!"_

_ "Just for a heads up," _said Emolga. _"Smugleaf is the nicer version of Wotter. If you look deep enough, you'll see two sides of the same coin, each of the two owning a side. Now that Grass Snake Pokémon, as so she told everyone, is that she's bi-sexual."_

_ "What's a bi-sexual?"_

Emolga hesitated for a moment, then said, _"Someone who prefers to have romantic relationships with both genders. Male, female. Doesn't matter. Wotter may be an asshole, but Smugleaf is one seductive Snivy."_

Bubbles squirmed. _"No wonder she is so weird!"_

_ "Don't be so harsh," _said Joltik. _"She's just trying to help you."_

_ "I don't need her help!"_

Bubbles got and walked away, but Emolga followed her. _"Bubbles, if you want I can find something for you to do in the meantime."_

_ "I don't want to play right now."_

_ "We're not going to, Nobark forbids the PRA members from playing. Instead he gets us to work, simple tasks that needed to be doing."_

Bubbles thought for a moment. During her entire time with Gloria, she never had to do chores or anything. Mommy always take care of the house, keeping it clean. Bubbles never thought of doing chores. Never thought of cleaning a bedroom. Never thought of scrubbing a toilet. It was Mommy who does that, not her or Gloria. The concept of doing work never exactly fit well into her mind.

_"We'll wait for Smugleaf to get back," _said Bubbles. _"We'll ask her about the room and such."_

**. . .**

Just across Fort Wernher. Wotter watched Bubbles talk to the squirrel and the bug. That pink sack of sh*t was not the kind of Pokémon he would never be again. An Oshawott, a little daredevil of his species. Heck, all that fun and play was a waste of time. Maybe if Wotter had worked in pleasing his trainer a little more, he wouldn't had salt scraping his skin and dealing with sh*tdicks all day. He snorted. Yeah, sh*tdicks.

Wotter spat in the grass and headed straight back into the elite bunker. He passed Smugleaf's room and two other vacant rooms. He stopped at one door. A latch lock was screwed into the door. Wotter screwed it in there recently. He slid the latch back and opened the door. Leaning against the wall of an empty room was the Panpour. She was pinned to the wall, her arms and legs were spread far apart, duct taped to various plumbing fixtures in the room. They were tight, so tight that it gave her excruciating pain. Her mouth was gagged with a rag, also sealed in place with duct tape. She had been sitting there since last night. Wotter wasn't sure when she woke up, not that it mattered in all. Her head was held low, softly sobbing to herself. Wotter grit his teeth, she was just like all the other sh*tdicks. Well then, might as well get her to clean up her act. She was too much of a sh*tdick to do it herself.

He walked up to the Panpour. She stank with fresh sweat and urine. To Wotter, it was a wonderful smell, like breathing in a used undershirt fresh off its wearer. He got on his knees and pulled the gag off, grabbed her chin, and forced her eyes to look into his. The Spray Pokémon squirmed, sobbing into the palm of his hand. Wotter stared at her for a moment, then pressed her lips into his.

He held the kiss for a full minute, then released and put the gag back on. _"Be ready for round two," _he told her.

The Panpour held her head low and shook her head, probably wondering how much of a sh*tdick she really was. Wotter nodded, then stepped out and relocked the door.

**. . .**

Tesla sat in silence as Rex drove him to the checkpoint in a rental car. It was a cheap sedan, manufactured a few years back. Despite its age it was perfectly clean. The interior smelled like Lysol and carpet soap. Not a single smudge or bird dropping stained the windows, they were so clean they might as well be air. Tesla leaned up to peak outside, saw nothing of interest, then set back down.

Soho customs cleared Rex through the checkpoint. He didn't have to share any paperwork or anything. Must be Chief Hattricks's doing. Whatever the reason, they didn't seem too happy. They cut the GPS device off Rex's ankle and let him drove through. Tesla didn't look back, he simply kept his fixed forward and rested.

He drove on until the checkpoint was out of sight. Tesla saw Rex relaxed. He must be expecting to be arrested or something.

"You have something to hide?" Tesla asked.

"Yeah," he said. "A .38 Model 10."

"Smith & Wesson?"

Rex nodded. "With a snub-nose for better accuracy," then he asked, "You're familiar with guns?"

"My trainer was a gun-nut," said Tesla. "He practically trained all of his Pokémon to shoot a gun. Well, those with hands at least. Just how do you think Nobark gotten a hold of an AK-47?"

Rex went silent for a moment, then asked, "What is the Tesla Cannon like?"

"The cannon's a death machine," said Tesla. "It's like Hyper Beam, but it is a constant blast and it destroys anything it touches. It blows apart human beings and Pokémon alike, turns them into ash. They're practically vaporized."

"How does it work?"

"It's basically a portable Tesla coil, it amplifies my power and concentrates it to a single point. Nothing complicated about it."

"How did Irvin get a hold of it?"

"Team Rocket, they were the manufacturer. He got the original blueprints from the Faraday Government and got them to design and build it. Not only Irvin stole the damn thing, he also copied the blueprints. I never said a thing when he lugged the crate into the back of the osprey when we're heading back home. I knew what it was. I just don't wanna know how he got it."

"You ever fired it?"

"Yes, I had to. I was the only one who can use it, so they called me in. We set it up in a controlled environment and I fired the damn thing, it was so powerful that it cut through the heavy titanium plating of the walls and killed a few people. Team Rocket deemed the test a success despite the overkill."

"You . . . you ever felt regret for killing?"

"No," said Tesla. "After what happened to me all those years ago, I don't feel much empathy for others."

"Not a drop?" Rex asked.

"I put down a friend of mine who was fatally wounded. Never felt bad over it, even though everyone melted down for a few days."

"What does your trainer think about it?" Rex asked.

"He knew what he was handling when we first met."

The car went silent after that. Tesla sit back and closed his eyes, trying to picture what Nobark looked like. Scrafty, big mohawk, shaking arm, the constantly changing personalities. Sounds about right. The Hoodlum Pokémon was raking up the years. The older he got, the more unstable he became. Despite his sociopath tendencies, Nobark was a good friend. He was close to Matt, loyal to Irvin, loyal to him. Tesla thought for a moment. Could he still influence him like he did back in the Westinghouse days? Irvin conditioned him so. Even though Irvin was long dead, doesn't mean Nobark wouldn't listen to him. Tesla frowned. If Nobark was still loyal, then he could also steer the PRA to his own ends. Who knows? He might dismantle the entire militia with a single command.

"What political affiliation are you?" Rex suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?"

"The PRA is mostly about politics, right?"

Tesla nodded. "Right."

"So what political affiliation are you, and Irvin? Maybe there's something we can work on there."

"Irvin's a liberal, a bit radical but sensible."

"What about you?" Rex asked.

"I don't have a preference."

"Surely you lean somewhere."

Tesla said nothing.

"What is it, left or right?"

"Hm, maybe somewhere near the right. Can't say I'm a liberal or a conservative, but I can say I feel more right-wing as I get older."

"What about Nobark's affiliation, do you know?"

"The last that I recalled, he was very conservative, more radical than Irvin was liberal. He learned Irvin's system so well that he didn't want it to change."

Rex slowed the car and made a right turn. The road went from paved to gravel, the sky went from blue to green. Tesla peaked out the window. All he saw was trees. He felt a part of his brain buzz, reminding him of his childhood.

"You're much of a nature person?" Rex asked.

Tesla frowned. "I was born and raised in the wild, with wilderness Pokémon values. If I wasn't, I would have stayed in Faraday City."

"Sorry I asked."

The twist and turns were bumpy and jagged. The car bounced up and down, churning Tesla's stomach. He hid his sudden nausea, the last he needed today was to be berated by a Pokémon doctor. He felt relief when Rex slowed and pulled to a stop.

"I can't take you any farther," he said. "Just down this road is Fort Wernher. This road hadn't been used for years. The farther you go, the more things become wild than man."

Tesla said nothing.

"You okay back there?"

"Uh, yeah. I just couldn't see much. How far did we go?"

"A few kilometers, well away from Soho. We've just went at least two kilometers into the forest."

"Any warning signs posted?"

"Just old military signs that has more rust than paint, but nothing from the PRA."

Tesla unbuckled his seatbelt and grabbed the Red Cross book sack. "Thank you for bringing me out here, Rex."

"No problem. Just be careful, Tes. I know Nobark may be your friend in all but he had killed people and Pokémon."

"He killed before, I watched him do it. I know what I'm dealing with, Rex."

Tesla opened the car door and jumped out, Rex rolled his window down and stuck his head out. "One more thing," he said. "Find that Tesla Cannon, assuming it's still around."

"I'll see if it is," said Tesla. "Bye."

Rex U-turned around the gravel road and head back the way he came. Tesla watched his rental car kicked up dust as it bounced along the road. When it was out of sight, Tesla hunched over and vomit out his cereal he had for breakfast that morning.

_"I hate cars," _he muttered in Pokémon speech.

**. . .**

High above the tree line, Swoo I flew overhead. Hissonar scanned the forest floor, searching for movement. Nobark entrusted him on security, he couldn't afford to have a security breech. That would make Nobark angry. Nobark isn't nice when he's angry.

The Courting Pokémon's radar eventually picked up something moving down in the trees. He wasn't sure what it was. The shape was foreign. Small. Maybe weighing less than ten kilograms. Swoo I concentrated his radar. Inside his mind, the blip took the shape of a rodent with a lightning bolt tail.

_I don't recognize this Pokémon, _he thought.

It had something, and whatever it is it was carrying a backpack. Whatever this Pokémon is it was heading toward Fort Wernher. Swoo I panicked, he spun 180 degrees and flied back toward base, his wings flapping as fast as they could take him.

**. . .**

Smugleaf and Scout were just a hundred meters from the gate when Swoo I swooped down. Both Pokémon covered their eyes as dirt was kicked up, then Smugleaf said, _"What is it, Swoo I?"_

_ "Found a trespasser," _said Swoo I. _"A loner, not a Pokémon I recognize."_

_ "What does it look like?"_

_ "A fat rodent. Small. Maybe less than ten kilograms. And it's carrying a backpack."_

Smugleaf nodded. _"Any identifying features?"_

_ "It has a lightning bolt tail, a big one."_

_ A Pikachu, _Smugleaf thought. _"Okay, return to base and inform Nobark. I'll bring the trespasser in."_

Swoo I nodded. _Understood._

The Swoobat flied into the trees and vanished.

_"It's definitely a Pikachu," _said Smugleaf. _"No other Pokémon has a lightning bolt tail like a Pikachu."_

_ "A Pikachu?" _Scout asked.

_"I've seen one in Vegas City, I know what they look like."_

_ "Are they local?"_

_ "No, they come as far away as Kanto."_

_ "Then what is a Pikachu doing here in Unova?"_

Smugleaf turned to Scout. _"That is what we're going to find out."_

**. . .**

The gravel road had grass growing everywhere. After years of neglect, the forest was finally trying to reclaim what man once took. It looked abandoned, forgotten. Tesla readjusted the backpack and made his way down the road. If this gravel road indeed led to his old friend, there were no signs of Pokémon activity anywhere. The forest was silent. No birds chirping, no wilderness Pokémon anywhere. They were gone, long gone for many years. If the PRA were overthrown today, the wilderness Pokémon might not even move back in. There was so much history, so much misery, in these woods that stood on the border of human civilization.

The wind rustled the leaves above, Tesla sniffed the air. A foul pungent odor greeted his nose. The old Pikachu squeezed his eyes shut. He knew that smell. There was a difference between a wild Pokémon and a feral. Wild Pokémon smelled more like earth and leaves with a spruce scent, as they nestled in the mud for years and had become assimilated into it. Feral Pokémon on the other hand were a little different. They smelled stronger than their wild counterparts. It smelled more human, but more barbaric. Whoever's scent this was, it was strong and the owner was quite near.

Tesla veered off the gravel road and bushwhack parallel to it. His ears tune in to faint sounds, and listened.

He heard faint chatter, it sounded like it was a Snivy. The accent of its voice was a bit off. It was more refined, the syllables plainly spelled out. It was different from a wild Pokémon's accent, who slur and exaggerate their words. To a human ear, there is no difference. The faint accent is too high for them to hear. But for a Pokémon like Tesla, the accent sounded clear as day.

_Definitely born in human captivity, _he thought. _Definitely PRA._

Tesla peaked through the vegetation and saw the Snivy in question. It was walking with a Patrat. Side by side. Like they were friends. The Snivy was a little fat and had faint traces of scars on its body. This was definitely a former battler, but it looked like that time of its life was ancient history. Tesla then noticed something strapped onto its back. It looked like a leather holster. Home-made. A knife's handle protrude out of it. The handle looked worn in from years of use.

_ "That Pikachu you saw in Vegas City was recent right?" _The Patrat asked.

_"Two of them actually," _said the Snivy. _"One of them is independent, the other with a trainer. The independent one acts more human so I bet it's this one."_

_ "Why would it be heading for Fort Wernher?" _

_ "Your guess is as good as mine."_

Tesla dug into his backpack and pulled out Mark's .22 Ruger. It hadn't been fired since its bath in the ocean. If he pulled the trigger, the gun might malfunction and shoot shrapnel back at him. But he doesn't actually need a pistol. He was the Master of Electricity. A single bolt from his thumb is enough to kill a man.

He waited till the Snivy and the Patrat passed by. They were slow, relaxed. They had a rough idea of who he was, maybe they were thinking he was just another Pikachu.

That kind of thinking insured Tesla a long life.

The Mouse Pokémon stepped out of the bushes. The Snivy and the Patrat kept on walking, blissfully unaware. Good.

He threw up a hand and called out a mighty Thunderbolt. Blue-purplish lightning shot out of his hand and grounded itself just between the Snivy and the Patrat. The concentrated electricity didn't touch them, the sudden flash and bang knocked them off balance. They stumbled and fell to the ground a second later, the echo of the Thunderbolt already fading into a distant roar.

**. . .**

Nobark was laying on his bed when he heard the crack of thunder. His eyes shot open. Even though the thick walls muffled most of the sound, he knew it all too well. It was like a fingerprint. All electric-types have their own unique signature, a trained ear can tell them apart. But it didn't take an expert to recognize this thunder.

"Tesla," Nobark thought aloud. "My friend is here."

**. . .**

Smugleaf's mouth tasted like metal. Her vision was blurry and her ears rang. It only took a moment for her senses to clear. She was just about to get up to her feet when she heard the faint cock of a handgun.

She froze.

_"Get up,"_ said a hoarse Pikachu voice. "Hands where I could see them."

Smugleaf stood up and lifted her hands.

_"You freeze right there, Snivy,"_ the Pikachu said._ "You move a millimeter toward that knife, you wouldn't have time to pull it out."_

Smugleaf felt sweat trail down her neck, her very core shivered. She hadn't felt this scared since-

She felt the butt of the pistol slam against the back of her head. Smugleaf fell face-down on the ground. A hand extracted her knife from her holster. Now she was really scared.

_"Turn around."_

Smugleaf rolled on her back and came face to face with the Pikachu, the pistol trained straight at her.

She glanced at Scout, he was lying face down on the ground, spirals in his eyes.

_"Look at me,"_ said the Pikachu.

Smugleaf turned back to the Pikachu. It was slightly large. The pigment of its fur had slightly faded, giving a near Pichu color. The one thing that stand out was the black plastic welding goggles strapped onto its head. They didn't look like he was wearing them for looks. The Pikachu held the pistol higher, aiming for her head. Smugleaf saw her knife clench tight in his other hand, the blade pointed down in the takedown position.

She held up her hands. _"Please," _she muttered. _"Don't h-"_

"Don't even _think _about trying to guilt me," the Pikachu hissed, with _human _words. Now Smugleaf was terrified, she felt herself became smaller and smaller with each passing second. "That game will not help you and neither the game Nobark taught you."

_He knows Nobark!? _

The Pikachu saw the look on her face. _"W-what?" _she asked.

"You know Nobark?" he asked.

Smugleaf nodded.

The old Pikachu raised an eyebrow, considering if she was bullsh*tting or not. Smugleaf felt her heart seizing up, a part of her wondered if he was either going to shoot her or electrocute her. Tesla walked up to her and pressed the tip of the knife over her belly. She squirmed. The knife wasn't that sharp at the tip, but the thought of having her belly split by her own blade was unthinkable.

"You're definitely a feral," said the Mouse Pokémon. "Too civilized and fat, not to mention I can smell you all the way down that road."

He dragged the tip of the knife down to her waist, Smugleaf squeezed her eyes shut.

"Looks overused," he said as he inspected her groin. "A bit red, overstretched. You're quite a pleasure seeker, are you?"

_"Don't hurt me, please." _Smugleaf whimpered.

Tesla pulled the knife away, she stretched out an arm and reached for it. _"That's mine!" _

"What's so special about this knife?" asked the Pikachu.

_"It belonged to my trainer."_

She saw something clicked in the Pikachu's eyes, he lowered the knife. "Is she?"

Smugleaf nodded.

"I'm sorry. I had seen my own trainer died before my very eyes. Believe me, the funeral felt worse than the actual moment itself," then the Pikachu's expression changed, he held the knife back up. She tensed up again. "Whoever you are, I do not know. But judging by how I last spotted you following me in Vegas City, I have my suspicions. I am going to hand you back your knife, and you are going to put it back into your holster, and it is going to stay there. You take that knife and wield it against me, and I am going to break your limbs. I do not need this gun, this knife, or my own electricity to kill you. I can do it with my bare hands alone."

Tesla added, "Do I make myself clear?"

Smugleaf nervously nodded.

He flipped the knife around and held the handle to Smugleaf, she took it and slowly slid it back into its holster.

The Pikachu then held out its hand. "My name is Tesla Westinghouse, do you have a name?"

Smugleaf gulped. _"Smugleaf Stucky."_

Tesla raised an eyebrow. "Your trainer named you?"

"_Yeah."_

"Did she have a relative named Jack?"

"_I don't know, I think she mentioned an Uncle Jack once but . . . but that was a long time ago."_

"Are you going to take my hand or not?"

Smugleaf grabbed it and Tesla pulled her back on feet. He asked, "Do you speak human, like the way I'm talking right now?"

"Yes," Smugleaf muttered in human speech. "Yes, I do."

"Who taught you?"

"I taught myself."

Tesla nodded. "You and Nobark speak human speech a lot?"

"Only to each other, not to anyone else."

Smugleaf noticed he was still clutching her hand. He squeezed her fingers and pinched her palm with his thumb and index finger. "You're part of Nobark's inner circle?"

"Yes," said Smugleaf. "He came to me fifteen years ago, at a river not far from Nimbasa City. He wanted me to join the PRA, he had been watching me for a while and he liked what he saw."

"Is the Dewott's name is Wotter?"

Smugleaf's jaw dropped. "Yes, how did you know?"

"Like Nobark, I met him when our trainer is still alive, and when he had a smile on his face. He told you the story?"

"More than once."

"Did Wotter give you his version?"

"He did."

"I knew it was Wotter with you back in Vegas City. You two were spying on me, weren't you."

That was no question. "Yes, that was us."

"You are terrible spies, mostly Wotter. He was always an idiot. He tried the classic reading-the-newspaper-while-leaning-on-a-lamppost trick, I just knew something was up. And then the Pichu I had with me – well, now a Pikachu – went missing. And then you guys disappeared."

Uh-oh, she knew that hit on Cabot would set off alarm bells. Now the consequences had presented itself, and it didn't look pretty. Smugleaf tried to pull her hand out of Tesla's grip, but she couldn't move. She looked down and realized she couldn't even move her fingers. Her arm was out of her control.

"Right now I'm not assuming anything," said Tesla. "You and Wotter may or may not have killed Cabot, but I don't care. It was Nobark who gave out the order. Chances are he won't remember them. He never remembers certain things under certain moods."

"H-How long did you know him?"

"Since he was a Scrafty a few weeks old," said Tesla. "Irvin raised him, I disciplined him. But most importantly, I helped trained him. Whatever he knows, I know. And whatever he does, I foresee it. How do you think it was so easy for me to track you down and nab you?"

Smugleaf wheezed, Tesla let go and Smugleaf staggered back. She gripped her hand, it was numb but it moved quite fine. She glanced back at Tesla. His eyes bore into her like cobalt drill bits. Smugleaf had seen Nobark with a similar look but this one was more powerful.

She was in deep shit. Whatever Nobark had done, it had backfired. Something was up, something big. This old Pikachu, this old fart with the strength of an Onyx wasn't too happy. What did Nobark do to piss him off? What really happened to him?

"What do you want?" Smugleaf asked.

"Nobark," said Tesla. "My old friend is in trouble, and apparently you are caught up in his conspiracy. I don't exactly know what he is doing here, all I know is that he runs the Pokémon Resistance Army and had been clawing at Soho like hungry hawks. You're going to help me or not?"

"Please, Tesla. Don't hurt me."

"I don't want to hurt you. If I did, you would be dead ten minutes ago."

Smugleaf sniffled and wiped away a tear, she never felt more down to earth for years."

Tesla tucked the gun back into his backpack. "Look," he said in a calm voice. "I'm sorry I've upset you. I had been through this sh*t more than once, it always turns out badly in the end. If I don't sort this out with Nobark soon, it will. You can count on it."

"Okay," Smugleaf said. "Nobark's at Fort Wernher, just down the road at the command bunker."

"How big's his crest?"

"Big, why?"

"It was small when I last seen him twenty years ago."

Smugleaf whimpered and Tesla hugged her. "There there, you don't need to get all upset. How mean did Wotter get?"

"Really mean."

"Then I'll make sure he won't be when I'm around. Let's go find Nobark, then you stand by and watch the pieces fall into place."

Smugleaf turned to Scout. He was groaning, but he was still not moving. "We can't just leave Scout," she said."

"Close friend?"

"I saved his life years back, he's more than a close friend."

"Does he know the lay of the land?"

Smugleaf nodded. "Yes."

"Then he should be alright," Tesla nudged the Grass Snake Pokémon toward Fort Wernher. "Come on, let's go."

**. . .**

Nobark ran toward the elite bunker, clutching to his pelt along the way. He barged into Wotter's room. The Dewott jumped and fell off the bed, he was about to rage his head off when he saw who it was.

_"Someone's coming," _he said. _"Be ready."_

_ "Who is it?" _Wotter asked.

_"An old friend of mine. Just be ready, he will be here any minute."_

Before Wotter could say a word, Nobark was out of the room and out of the bunker.

**. . .**

"Did Nobark ever mention me?" Tesla asked.

Smugleaf nodded. "All the time, he spoke to you as if you were his hero."

"I'm no hero, never was for a hundred years. Literally, of course."

The two Pokémon walked on down the gravel road side by side. Tesla kept an ear out for more surprises. So far there were none. As they approached Fort Wernher, a putrid smell came over his nose. It was similar to Smugleaf, but slightly different. Tesla glanced at Smugleaf. She was still shaken up by their encounter, but nonetheless took the courage to walk beside him. Smugleaf was so used to being in control that her foundation was literally built on it. Now that foundation was cracked, unable to withstand the weight she built on it. If she were to recover, she would need to patch it up with by exercising power. But what kind of power, and for what kind of satisfaction?

_Pleasure seeker, _Tesla thought.

Up ahead he saw an industrial-looking building, made out of poured concrete. The windows were covered with plywood and wooden boards. They vary in ages and color. Most of them were rotted, so rotted he could pull the boards out with his bare hands. The garage door had wooden crates and broken pallets piled against it. The way they were placed suggest they were supposed to act like some sort of barricade. "Who piled all that there?" he asked Smugleaf.

"Woody," said Smugleaf. "The Timburr."

"For what purpose?"

"Defensive barricade."

"His barricade is sh*t."

"That's what I figured, amazing Nobark hadn't complained about it yet."

She approached the warehouse door. It was painted white, rusting at the hinges. Smugleaf grabbed the doorknob and opened it. "Why isn't it locked?" Tesla asked.

"It's never locked," said Smugleaf.

"Why?"

"The Swoobats, they keep an eye out for intruders. One of them spotted you earlier, so the PRA should be expecting you."

Smugleaf stepped into the warehouse and Tesla followed her inside. The whole building was dark, but he had no problem seeing the warehouse shelves and the supplies stacked in them. The air smelled of gasoline and sawdust. Tesla looked up and saw a ceiling lamp flickering madly, trying to stay on.

The old Pikachu frowned. The bulb started buzzing, then popped. The warehouse got darker.

Tesla continued on to the other side of the storage room, he wondered into a smaller conjoining room and found Smugleaf looking around. _"Woody," _she called out. _"Are you here!?"_

The smaller room was crowded with half-finished projects and tools. Tesla noticed a rusty cot with an olive green backing. No pad. Several springs were missing in the middle, causing the backing to sag. Tesla pressed his hand against the backing. It flexed, but squeaked loudly. Sitting by the cot was a radio. It was covered with oil, grease, and white paint. The antenna was broken off, just a jagged stub of what remained. Tesla reached out and flicked the power button. Nothing. He picked it up and opened the battery compartment, revealing two corroded AA batteries. Tesla looked around for a trash can. It was sitting against the wall, filled to the brim with cans and beer bottles. He pulled the batteries out and dumped them into the trash can.

Smugleaf turned around. "That radio doesn't work."

"Course it doesn't, the batteries had bled to death."

_"Woody," _Smugleaf called out again. _"Are you in here?"_

_ "I'm here," _a voice called out in the next room. _"Just give me a moment!"_

Tesla opened up his backpack and pulled out the back of AA batteries, he popped two out of the case and stuck them into the battery compartment. He closed it up and flicked the switch, a hiss of static came out of its speaker.

Woody had just walked into the room when Tesla turned it off. _"You got my radio working again!?" _

_ "It just needed batteries," _said Tesla. _"I just so happened to brought some."_

Woody glanced at Smugleaf. _"Who is he, Smugleaf?"_

_ "An old friend of Nobark's," _she said. _"From back in the day."_

The Muscular Pokémon's expression changed, he turned to Tesla and gasped. _"Are you Tesla?"_

Tesla sat the radio back on its stand. "The one and only."

Woody blinked. _"Holy . . . uhh-"_

"Where's Nobark?" Tesla asked.

_"Command bunker," _said Woody. _"Down the walking trail to the left, it's bigger than the other buildings."_

Woody jogged up to a garage door and lifted it open, bright sunlight engulfed the room. _"You have any more batteries," _he asked. _"My flashlight is just about dead as well."_

_ "What kind?" _Tesla asked in Pokémon speech.

_"Three-Double Ds."_

Tesla reached into his backpack and pulled out a four D-Cell battery pack, he tossed it to Woody. _"Once I'm done with Nobark, then we'll talk business."_

Woody nodded. _"Yes, of course!"_

Tesla stepped out of the warehouse and into the military fort. He was surrounded by plain concrete buildings, fire pits, overgrown grass, and random mountains of trash. The Pokémon walking by looked sick. Their fur looked matted with dirt stuck on. Some of them even looked weak, disoriented. A few moved and acted fine, but looked a little grumpy. Almost all of the Pokémon were either small bi-petal or quadruped Pokémon somewhere around his weight. For a moment, it almost felt like home. The way everyone acted, the way everyone worked. There was that care-free lazy feel that he remembered experiencing in Irvin's household. But there was something wrong, something not quite right. It soon became clear that Nobark tried to recreate the environment Irvin had set up, only to have it fail under its own weight.

"Welcome to Fort Wernher," said Smugleaf. "The headquarters of the Pokémon Resistance Army."

"Looks depressing," said Tesla. "But I can see what Nobark's trying to build, he just doesn't have the incentive to maintain it."

He started down the walking trail. Almost immediately the PRA took notice of him. They stopped what they were doing, their eyes locked on him as he pass by. They began muttering among each other, wondering if either Tesla was a new recruit or was it really who they think he was. A small crowd followed behind, keeping a respectful distance from the old Pikachu. Smugleaf stayed behind him, almost like she was his bodyguard detail.

As Tesla approached the command bunker, a Swoobat blew overhead. It landed on the edge of the roof and sat there. Tesla stared at it for a moment. That could be the Swoobat that had spotted him earlier. He asked Smugleaf to confirm.

"Yup," she said. "That's Swoo I, he spotted you earlier and alerted Nobark."

Tesla shook his head. "No, I alerted him."

The front door open. Nobark ran out like he was in a hurry. He screeched to a halt, almost toppling over himself. There he stood as he and Tesla were reunited.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	11. Chapter 11

_Chapter 11_

The first thing he noticed about Tesla was that he had gotten fat. The Pikachu he'd remembered twenty years ago was lean and youthful. The Tesla standing before him was now the opposite. The fur more bleached. The eyes more tired. Though his best-friend had let himself go, his mind was still the same as he remembered. That look in his eye, that grin, that stance he does when sh*t's about to go down. It was still the same. Nobark gulped. His heart was racing. All this time he thought the past was long dead and buried in the history books. But Tesla made it out alive and could still stand on his two hind legs. Who else have made it out of Irvin's demise? Nobark couldn't remember, their names were a mystery to him. But that wasn't important right now.

At first Nobark reached out to hug him, but hesitated. Was he even real? The Scrafty reached out and touched Tesla's bicep, it was soft and furry as he remembered. Tesla just stood there, apparently annoyed. Yes, annoyed. Tesla was always annoyed, or at least he looked annoyed. Nobark shook his head, and let out a cry. "Tesla!"

He wrapped his arms around Tesla and hugged him dearly. The old Pikachu patted him on the back as Nobark cried in his shoulder. "It's you," Nobark cried. "I-I never thought I would ever see you again."

Tesla said nothing.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you! And Med, and Ripper, and Aqua, and Flashlight, and Vines, and all the others! I envy you Tesla, I implore you!"

Tesla said nothing.

"Please, I missed you! I missed Irvin and Matt and Emmy, I even missed Andy! Our whole world fell apart!"

Tesla said nothing.

Nobark lifted his head. "Tesla?"

The old Pikachu grabbed Nobark by the shoulders and shoved him back. He tripped and fell on his rear end. Everyone gasped.

"You're in deep sh*t, Nobark!" Tesla hissed, pointing a finger on him. "The trouble you're in is so bad that not even _Irvin _can bail you out!"

"What?"

"All of Unova wants you dead is what I'm hearing!"

**. . .**

_Oh how dare he say that! _Anger thought.

Anger growled and lunged at Tesla, but the old Pikachu was fast. He stepped aside and karate chopped Nobark's back, the Hoodlum Pokémon collapsed to the ground.

"So it was _you _who was responsible," Tesla snarled. "You brought this on my friend!"

Anger glared at him. "You don't own me!"

"And you don't own my friend!"

The Hoodlum Pokémon lunged up again, this time using Head Butt. Again, Tesla deflected Anger and he flopped to the ground.

"Who created the PRA?" Tesla asked.

Anger wheezed and hissed. "Rational!"

"And did you ordered Cabot's assassination?"

"No."

Tesla reached down and grabbed Nobark's throat. "Then bring out the one who did!"

**. . .**

Spots flooded his vision as Judgement tumbled into play. He felt his cheek, it was raw.

"Why did you do it?" Tesla asked.

Judgment said nothing, he just sat there returning Tesla's death stare.

"Why?" Tesla asked again, more calmly this time.

"He was making Pokémon slaves," said Judgment. "He trapped them in Poké balls, gave them limited freedom. I couldn't let them suffer."

"They weren't suffering," said Tesla. "They were happy with everything, you'd just destroyed their lives."

Judgment said nothing.

"Who did you send to perform the execution?"

Judgment said nothing.

"Forever holding your peace?" Tesla asked.

"Cabot wasn't your business."

"My great-great granddaughter life was destroyed thanks to you. She put my trust in me and you've wrecked it."

"Well you shouldn't have forced your great-great granddaughter into slavery."

Tesla groaned. "Cabot can provide what I cannot: Security, food, shelter. Look at me, I could barely take care of myself!"

Judgment said nothing.

"Okay, I had enough."

Tesla threw a punch into Nobark's shoulder, the blow discharged some purple electricity. Judgment collapsed on the ground, then sank back into the recesses of Nobark's brain.

**. . .**

Smugleaf stared in shock as her longtime friend and mentor collapsed in front of her. She grabbed her chest, then looked at her hands. They were shaking uncontrollably. The Grass Snake Pokémon turned toward the crowd. They all just stood there, equally horrified. Nobody dared step forward and challenged the old Mouse Pokémon. His power was absolute, maybe next to Arceus itself. Tesla glanced at her, his cold stare sent a chill down his spine. There was something odd about this Pikachu. She had encountered Pokémon like Wotter and Bubbles for most of her life, but never had she met a Pokémon like Tesla. No, he was no Pokémon. He was a god in the body of a Pikachu.

But the Master of Electricity did not wanna be one.

With a blink of an eye Tesla loosened. His body went slack and his eyes go soft. He shook his head and grabbed his ears. "Why did I let this all happen to you?"

Smugleaf reached out to Tesla, but stepped back. She didn't wanna go near him, his aura was too strong for her handling.

So Tesla stepped up to her and touched her shoulder. "I'm sorry you have to see all that, apparently Nobark's still conditioned to obey me."

"How?" Smugleaf asked.

"How are you feeling?"

"Scared, of you."

"Exactly."

Tesla let go of her and she stepped back. "That's because he's in trouble and you're wrapped up in it. I don't know what you've been doing with him for all these years but it looks like you've been a very good friend to him, but you're helpless on keeping his mind straight."

Smugleaf said nothing.

"We'll discuss this later."

Tesla turned back to Nobark and nudged his side with his foot. "Nobark, wake up."

Nobark stirred, his eyes fluttered open and he stared at the sky for a moment. He then sat up, shook the cobwebs out of his head and looked up at Tesla. "Is that you, Tesla?"

"It's me, Buddy," said Tesla.

Nobark grinned a Scrafty equivalent of a smile. "I missed you, it's been so long."

"Twenty years, to be exact."

Nobark looked around. "What just happened?"

"Handled your others, they seemed happy in their own way."

"Did they hurt anyone?"

"No, they didn't."

Tesla lend his hand and pulled Nobark back to his feet. "Holy crap, Nobark. What happened to your eye?"

"Flash blindness," said Nobark. "I couldn't remember what caused it, all I remembered was find it all red and the cornea was torn. I can't see through it anymore."

Tesla stared at him. "Damn."

Nobark turned toward the PRA, they just simply stared at him.

_"Okay, guys," _he said in Pokémon speech. _"Show's over, back to your duties."_

The crowd dispersed in all directions, back to their chores and activities. Swoo I just sat there on the roof, still processing the scene in his head. Smugleaf just turned around and head back to the elite bunker, her head held low in shame.

**. . .**

Nobark led Tesla into his command bunker. The walls were four meters tall, made out of solid concrete. It was unpainted, a very plain gray. The floor was decorative concrete, well paved and done. It even looked polish under the florescent lightning.

The Hoodlum Pokémon opened a door and stepped on through. Tesla followed him. The room was large, the setup looking like a classical living space. Two couches sat at the corner. A rug laid out before them. There was an old refrigerator up against the wall. The cord unplugged from the wall and tossed aside. Empty beer bottles, disposable plates and cups, and all other sorts of trash were piled up against the walls. They gave off a putrid smell, like they had been sitting there for months.

"Sorry about the mess," said Nobark.

"I'd been through worse."

"Yes, you had."

Nobark opened up the fridge and pulled out a can of beer. He tossed it to Tesla. It felt warm to the touch. The old Pikachu popped the can opened and sipped the beer, it tasted wonderful.

"I see you've let yourself go," said Nobark.

"Yeah," said Tesla. "So what? I'm a Mouse Pokémon. All Mice Pokémon are fat."

"But not as fat as you."

The duo chuckled, then sat on the couches. "What have you been doing in the last twenty years?" Nobark asked.

"Grieving," said Tesla. "While running from the law. I was recently pardoned, then I came to Unova to escape Irvin's past."

"But it followed you."

"Yes, it did. But not because of you."

Tesla sipped his beer and scanned Nobark up and down. In most ways he hadn't changed. His left hand still twitched. His eyes still wonder into a blank stare. He still drinks, that was for sure. His crest or mohawk or whatever they call it was larger though. Make sense since he found himself in a leadership position. But he was still conditioned to obey Tesla. Pokémon never forget that kind of training. Even without Irvin, they like to hang on to things from before. In some ways Nobark pretended things _were _like the way before. But his idea of the past was twisted and faulty, needing improvement. Tesla sat his beer on the table and looked at Nobark in the eye. Normally direct eye-contact would guarantee a head-butt from a Scraggy and Scrafty, but Nobark had lost most of his traditional ways decades ago. Instead he returned the eye-contact, and froze.

"I'm in trouble, am I?"

Nobark knew that look from Tesla all too well. Often at times when Nobark gets in trouble, Tesla would give him that look. It was part of his conditioning, and so far Nobark's reactions were still following Irvin's script.

"More trouble than you can possibly imagine," said Tesla. "I didn't come all this way just to see you. That is not why I'm here."

"Then why are you here?"

"I came to bury you."

Nobark's eyes bulge open, then he shook his head. "Oh I'm a mess, Tesla. Had been since the day I was born. I didn't know what to do when Irvin died, you know how it was like. Everyone was defecting, committing suicide."

"Nobark," said Tesla. "You are wanted by the Unova police, your actions on Soho and Ho-Oh knows where else has caused more harm than good. What are you even trying to do here?"

"I'm trying to bring equal rights to humans and Pokémon," said Nobark."

"By the use of lethal force? For f*ck sake, Nobark, you've achieved the opposite. You made Soho literally put up a _wall _around itself."

"I didn't know what I was doing!"

"Then why did you do it!?"

Nobark covered his eyes and sniffled. "I just wanna try. All those Pokémon out there looked up to me. I told and retold all the stories about you, word for word, unbiased as possible. I didn't know what I've created, the other parts of me might have a clue but I'm too afraid to ask."

"This fort is a junkyard," said Tesla. "What were you promising them?"

"Lots of food, a warm bed, hot showers."

"And so far those promises were not met."

Nobark looked up at Tesla, his eyes are watering. "I need your help, Tesla."

"That's why I'm here."

"You've seen how bad Soho is?"

"I was arrested by the Soho PD and their chief of police gave me the layout of what happened. They told me everything, Nobark. They really want you dead. There isn't going to be a trial, they're going to kill you the moment they catch you."

"What did they ask you," asked Nobark. "And what did you tell them?"

"They asked me to kill you, Nobark. They know my association with you. They asked me to come straight down here and dismantle your Pokémon Resistance Army. I told them I'll see what I can do," then Tesla added. "But I don't need to kill you. You're already dying, as far as I can see."

"The Parkinson's Disease had gotten worse," said Nobark. "I'm not as steady as I once was."

Tesla sat a hand on his shoulder. "Tell you what, I'm going to help you fulfill those promises. I brought a small bag of goodies just to get started."

"What did you bring?" Nobark asked.

"Shampoo, batteries, medicine."

"We need those."

"And I'm going to help you get more."

"We also need fuel, and fresh lightbulbs."

"I'll steal them if I have to," said Tesla.

"Like our convenience store raids during Black October?" Nobark asked.

"Yes, but on a bigger scale."

"Okay. Talk to Woody and Tendon, ask them what they need."

Tesla nodded. "Right. Also, where's Wotter?"

"You still remember him from before?" Nobark asked.

"I liked him better than before."

"You hissed at him."

"Well, I have my personal space issues."

Nobark got up from the couch and stretched his legs. "You might wanna talk to Smugleaf and Wotter if you wanna get things done. Smugleaf might be easily persuaded, but Wotter would be a challenge. But you have your ways, of course, I'm sure it shouldn't be that hard."

"It wouldn't," said Tesla.

"Oh one more thing, you aren't afraid of getting your hands dirty?"

"I did all of Irvin's dirty work, which enabled us to live our lives during his time. What do you want me to do?"

"Take out certain individuals, and Pokémon."

"Threats to your cause?"

"You can say it like that."

Tesla nodded. "I'll do that for you, but the PRA comes first. Once their basic needs are fulfilled, then I'll work on your hit list."

Nobark stared at him. "You haven't changed at all."

"Neither had Matt and Emmy," said Tesla. "Matt's still around, still living in the same house for all these years. Emmy has gone on to be the Chief of the Faraday City Police Department, I pretty much helped him get that promotion."

"Had the FCPD gave you hard time?"

"Yes, but they were more gentle. The Soho PD on the other hand, aren't so forgiving."

Tesla opened up his drawcord sack and pulled out the PVC folder. "Emmitt has a son, his name is Mark Kissinger. He's somewhere in the area, trying to find Fort Wernher."

"What does he want?"

"A history lesson, from you. He wants to know about all the crap we've left behind. He broke into the old farmhouse and looked through our things, he found the essays you wrote. Not to mention he downloaded every digital file he could get a hold of from Irvin's trunk."

He handed the folder to Nobark, the Hoodlum Pokémon peaked inside and pulled out a page. "I don't remember writing these."

"Figured you don't, there's half a dozen different handwriting on those pages."

Nobark tucked the page into the folder and sat it on the coffee table. "So Mark's coming here?"

"Yes."

"What should I do?"

"What would you do?"

"I'd lock him up, Anger will kill him if given the chance."

"But he's not going to do that."

Nobark nodded. "He won't."

"Mark's going to f*ck things up, he's eighteen and just as dumb as Emmitt and Matt when they were his age."

"I'll take care of him."

"Give him what he wants and sit on him till things straightened out. But be careful, he had been in military school and he had somehow inherited some of his dad's police training."

"Will he be armed?" Nobark asked.

"Yes."

"Does he have Pokémon?"

"Yes."

"How many?"

"Four, all female and electric-types."

Nobark thought for a moment. "Okay, I'll see what I can do."

Then Tesla added. "I've also made a new friend, his name is Ash Ketchum, and he has friends with him. They were dragged into the mess by the cops as well, but not as much. He and his friends and Pokémon must not be harmed, period."

"They won't be harmed."

Tesla closed up the backpack and put it back on. "Where should I start?"

"Wotter and Smugleaf, get them to do your bidding and everything else should be straight forward."

"Okay, thank you, Nobark."

The Hoodlum Pokémon wrapped his arms around the old Pikachu. "It's great to see you again, Tes. I missed you."

"I missed you too, Nobark."

**. . .**

When Tesla left the room, Nobark stared at where he once sat. He pressed his nose against the spot and smelled it. The old Pikachu's scent was there. Still strong as he remembered.

_He is not to be trusted, Nobark, _Judgment spoke in his mind. _He will bring ruin to you._

"He's my best-friend," said Nobark. "I must trust him!"

"He will bring you ruin," Judgment spoke with his mouth.

Nobark gripped his head. "Shut up," he hissed. "Just shut up and let me think for a moment, there's no rush!"

Judgment went silent.

The Hoodlum Pokémon glanced at the coffee table. Tesla's beer was still there. He picked it up and chugged it down, hopefully drowning out the voices in his mind. He tossed the can aside and sat back down on the couch and stared at the PVC folder. In it was supposed to be his essays. In it was supposed to be digital files in USB sticks. Videos, pictures, journals. Precious data from the past. Irvin's history was all right there, all of Tesla's history was in there. It was supposed to be locked away in the trunk. Irvin said not to open it, and Tesla made that clear. But someone opened it, cracked open the forbidden box. This person, this Mark, this some sort of grandson of his old human friend had defeated the padlock Irvin personally placed on the trunk and opened up decades worth of history. He shouldn't have done that. He shouldn't have brought the intel he found here.

Now it was sitting right before Nobark, safely sealed in a plastic folder that looked like it had been bought off of eBay. Nobark rubbed his nose and reached for the folder. His hand twitched and jerk, he couldn't hold it still. Nobark withdrew his arm and clutched his wrist. Should he peaked in and see what was in it?

_Not yet, _Nobark thought. _I'm not doing it alone._

It must wait. Yes, it must wait, till the time is right.

**. . .**

When Rex got back to the Pokémon Center, he found Ash sitting at the couch. He looked sad and worried, helpless even. His friends weren't there, either they had wondered off to do something or they were in the next room.

"What's wrong, Ash?" Rex asked.

Ash turned to Rex, his Pikachu popped up and gave him a cold stare. "PikaCHU!" it hissed.

"What?" Rex asked.

"Tesla's gone," said Ash. "I was worried and was just about to run out to find him, but I remembered I had Pikachu to worry about."

"I'd just dropped him off at the forest," said Rex. "He wanted to leave discreetly, you must respect his wishes."

Ash nodded. "I hope he's alright."

"He looks like he knows what he's doing," said Rex. "We should be worried about Mark, he has caused the most trouble so far."

"I don't know what to think about him."

"Me neither," said Rex.

Rex walked back behind the reception desk and sat down in his chair. The new GPS tracker scratched at his ankle, he scratched it with his toe and got back to his computer. His hands hovered over the keyboard but he didn't feel like doing any work. There was something odd, and wrong, about everything. Nobark sounds scary, but Tesla seemed worse. He had met dozens of Mice Pokémon and not a single one of them gave him the chills the way the old Pikachu did. The Master of Electricity, packed with more power than a Raichu could ever unleash, arrived in Soho in a train and stirred up the police force. Stirred up everything. The locals were talking. They were scared. Word somehow got out about Tesla playing the diplomat in resolving the conflict with the PRA. Everybody was thinking he was going to set off a powder keg, and in some ways that seemed true.

Nobark would cause chaos on specific days of the mouth. It was more or less predictable. Most of the time it would be IED explosions. Cheap cans filled with gasoline, black powder, and nails, placed in trash cans and mailboxes. When those things go off, oh boy they pulverize everything around it and shoot it up into the sky in a big black column of smoke. When the victims, mostly human, come in. The wounds and blood were horrendous. Rex had the nerve to rush them into emergency surgery and extract all the shrapnel metal he could, then stitch them up as fast and neatly as possible. He wasn't sure how he got through it all in the end. There were so many people, needing his help. At least Nurse Joy and her Audinos helped him through it all, he owed them more than his life and paycheck.

Speaking of his paycheck, he didn't really need this job. He was here just to find a death ray from the bastard who hurt all those people. A Pokémon doctor, who saves lives, is only here in Soho for a weapon of mass destruction. Ironic. He could get up at any time and just leave, and never come back. But he would be turning his back on the people who depend on him, abandoning the oath he took when he first got his Master's. Rex shook his head. No me mustn't leave, not now. Only when this incident is all over will he be able to go back home.

Rex booted up his computer and opened up his e-mail, only to find his inbox empty. Hmm, odd. Normally there would be three hundred messages waiting for him, but it looks like his colleagues hadn't wrote back yet. So he got up and walked up to the videophone and dialed the non-emergency number to the Soho Police department. The operator answered after two rings.

"Soho Police Department, how can I help you?"

"Is Chief Hattricks there?"

"One moment."

Rex waited for a few seconds, Chief Hattrick's face popped up on the touchscreen. "Hello, Rex."

"Hello, chief," he said back. "I'm just calling to let you know that Tesla's at Fort Wernher now, what happens next is anybody's guess."

"What do you personally think would happen?" Chief Hattricks asked.

"Honestly, sir, I think the whole situation would explode out of control."

The chief nodded. "I'll step up the patrols as a pre-caution."

"I don't think that would do any good."

"Why is that?"

"Your officers have pistols, shotguns, assault rifles, all sorts of firepower a law enforcement agency can carry. So does the PRA, but they also have special abilities you would normally see in a Pokémon battle. They would be unleashing Flamethrower and Hyber Beam along with hollow-points and full-metal jacket ammunition. I had been in the army, Hattricks. I had seen combat. If the PRA would launch an assault on Soho, they would overwhelm everything you throw against it. But it all depends on one thing."

"What?"

"Numbers," said Rex. "How many defected Pokémon are in the PRA, and how willing are they to commit mass murder. Go ahead and step up the patrols, but all they would do is quell the small-scale attacks. If Tesla somehow set off Nobark's fuse, they won't do so well in an urban warzone rich with non-combatants."

Chief Hattricks nodded. "I'll consider this, I'll call you back if I need some advice."

"Thank you for your time, sir."

"Goodbye."

The videophone's touchscreen went blank. Rex stepped away and shook his head. "Oh what a mess I have gotten myself into."

"You can say that again," said Ash.

Ash just sat there, a little disturbed. His Pikachu snuggled into his side in dire need of comfort. "Are you okay, Ash?" Rex asked.

Ash said nothing, he'd simply stared at the TV as if Rex wasn't there.

**. . .**

Mark was retraced his steps in the forest between Carbondale and Soho. There was a certain tree where he had stashed his commandeered weapons. He was smart enough to store them there before walking into town, and it looks like he wasn't smart enough to remember where they were. After what felt like hours, he went back to square one and looked at everything again. Emolga stayed perched on his shoulder, her big ears scanning their surroundings like radar dishes.

_Where is it, _Mark thought. _Where the f*ck is it?_

Oh, there it was. Mark slapped his cheek. He had passed that particular oak three dozen times already and had never thought it would be it. Oh boy, what a stressful day. He walked up to the tree's knothole, then reached inside and pulled out the Mossberg, 9mm, and the police baton. Mark tucked the 9mm and baton in the back of his belt, but kept the shotgun close at hand. He may need it if things go awry.

He stayed clear of the main road, instead he bushwhacked through the forest. His ears plus Emolga's tuned for unnatural sounds. So far there were distant chatter of wild Pokémon and the occasional squawk of a bird. After ten minutes, Mark began to realize a trending pattern. The deeper he walked into the forest, the quieter things become. He stopped for a moment and listened for stalkers. Nothing.

Then there was bang, a flash, and a scream.

But it was not a scream of terror.

Mark nearly dropped the gun when his Pikachu appeared before him. She was dancing, twirling on her feet. Happily singing and cheering. Mark dropped on his knees and clapped a hand over her mouth, she seized up and gasped.

"Shh," Mark hushed. "Do you even know where we are?"

Pikachu said nothing.

"We're in hostile terrain. That singing and clapping would stir up the PRA. We have no idea what they would do if they catch us. Friend or not, Nobark doesn't know who we are and why we're here. If he catches us too early it would be a Tepig roasting us for dinner."

Mark's Pikachu shivered, then lowered her head in shame. She let out a cry as tears trailed down her cheeks.

He picked her up and held her up at eye level. "Look," he said. "What happened last night is scandalous. My father's career would crash and I will be exiled if the world finds out about it. Heck, I don't think we would even live another day if Tesla found out about your little adventure."

The Mouse Pokémon's eyes started raining tears. Mark's heart dropped. Here was a Pokémon who had fallen in love with him and later saved from a poacher trap. She didn't understand the culture of human society, all she knew was the Dixierat culture and the town that shaped it. To her, Mark was her world. And for him to tell her that what he did for her in bed that night was wrong had hurt her badly.

He cradled her in her arms and kissed her forehead. "There there, girl," he said. "Even if all that happened, I will still love you. I always wanted what's best for you guys. Tell you what, don't be afraid to ask again. Those urges are normal, I don't wanna spend another waking hour letting you suffer from them."

"Pika," Pikachu cooed.

Emolga giggled.

"What are you laughing, Em?"

She tried her best to hide her smile. "Emo."

Then he smelled it. "Very mature, Emolga."

**. . .**

The Courting Pokémon that fly over Fort Wernher had built up a lot of trust from the PRA. Swoo I knew this well. He scanned the forest floor below. His sonar hitting everything at once, scanning for anything that moves. The Swoobat had his fair share of false alarms like the others. Sometimes he would accidentally peg a new PRA member as an intruder and rouse everyone up. The look on their faces were priceless. Some words were exchanged, then laughs. Nobody gave Swoobat a hard time for his mistakes, as he confirmed time and time again that his sonar was reliable.

Like the other PRA members, Swoo I was once owned by a trainer. And like most he was born in the wild. Swoo I had lived on his own for three years until a trainer caught him. He was well-trained and fed, loved even. The relationship lasted for at least four months until his trainer decided to trade him in for an even better flying-type. The trainer called him out one day and broke the news. Heartbroken, Swoo I flied off, raining tears down below.

It was around that same time when he found himself in the PRA. Practically he was flying around for weeks, scanning the forest floor for food. Swoo I flew into Fort Wernher by accident. It was just there, and apparently occupied by Pokémon. He was cautious at first, but the Scrafty convinced him to join. It was that simple really. Nobark needed new members, and flying-type was high in demand. His sonar abilities were needed, not to mention his point-of-view. Swoo I needed to start a new life, so he took the job.

Being part of Fort Wernher's night-time warning system, Swoo I felt so important. The PRA entrust him for giving an early shout for trouble coming their way. For hours he scanned the forest floor for trespassers. About once a week he would get a blip or two. Most of the time it was fellow PRA members either heading out for a walk or returning from nightly tasks. To avoid confusion he would fire his sonar into Fort Wernher itself, calibrating his senses on a friend, and more importantly, figure out who the individual was. No two Pokémon are identical. Everyone's unique. So Swoo I trained himself to identify several Pokémon by their shape, the way they move, and the way they behave. Eventually he got to a point where he knew every soul in Fort Wernher by nickname and species. It saved him a lot of trouble, especially when he got the occasional false alarm.

The first time he pegged an intruder was just weeks after joining the PRA. The trespasser was a Patrat, a very clumsy one at least. Swoo I pegged him in the dark while scanning the forest an hour after midnight. The Courting Pokémon didn't sound the alarm right away, as the Patrat could be Scout. The PRA had several Patrats and it could be anyone of them. He focused his sonar on the Patrat for a few seconds, performing a series of mental calculations to determine if the Patrat was friend or foe. When he finally realized the Patrat was foreign, he flied back to Fort Wernher and blasted the base with a high-pitch tone.

The tone penetrated the thick concrete walls and woke up every PRA member in the bunkers. They were out within minutes, armed with their usual array of silly crossbows and peashooters. The Patrat was caught soon after, and after it was thrown in the Pokémon jail Nobark praised him for it. Swoo I never felt so appreciated before in his life, and never had he felt so loved. Later that day, when the sun came up, he was just about to get some sleep with Smugleaf found him. She asked if he needed company, Swoo I said yes. Even though he sleeps upside down, Smugleaf rocked him in her vines to sleep. He felt funny in the belly when having her nearby, maybe she returned any romantic feelings he had directed to her.

As time went on, Nobark brought in three more Swoobats. At first Swoo I felt depreciated, but Nobark explained he couldn't cover a lot of ground all at once. The Hoodlum Pokémon asked if he could train them, Swoo I agreed.

These other Swoobats became good friends. They eventually gave themselves nicknames to keep things organized. He personally became Swoo I. The others, Swoo II, Swoo III, and Swoo IV. He learned that they all came from similar backgrounds. All three Swoobats were born in the wild, but only Swoo II and III were once owned by a trainer. Swoo III's trainer released him after six months of service, sometimes he would come back to see him. The bond was still strong despite the PRA's ideology. Swoo II on the other hand was different. His trainer tried trading him for another Pokémon, much like Swoo I. He never gone over specifics, in fact he didn't wanna talk about it. The subject was too sensitive for him. Only Swoo IV had never been owned by a trainer. She simply lived her entire life in the wild, she admitted that at one time a trainer tried to capture her with a Tranquil. She would brag on how she owned the Tranquil, claiming she blasted its feathers off its body with her sonar and defeated it. Swoo I personally believed her, even though the story sounded like bullsh*t.

Swoo I scanned the forest floor for potential intruders. He went a little farther and higher this time. He was getting bored. Hoping he would pick up at least something for today he fired his sonar left to right for that much needed blip. The world glowed in his mind from each scan, the details pretty much the same as it was for three weeks now.

Then there was a blip. It lit up like a Christmas tree. Swoo I got excited, he flew lower and homed in on the source. It was a moving target, he circled around for a three sixty view of the blip.

The blip slowly grew legs and arms and shaped itself into the profile of a human being.

The second scan picked up Pokémon, the third gave him the details. An Emolga sat on the human's shoulders while a strange rodent Pokémon laid curled up in the human's arms.

_A human being, _Swoo I thought. _Out here?_

Swoo I looked around and realized he had strayed a little too far from Fort Wernher. But nonetheless he found something. This human looked like it was up to something, as it was carrying a shotgun with one hand and the rodent in the other. The human was heading somewhere, but where? Swoo I kept its radar trained on the human being, then started mapping out its path. Before making a decision, he would need to find out where this guy was heading. Just to be sure he wasn't a security threat.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter 12_

Smugleaf stepped into her bedroom. Bubbles was there, she sat up on the bed and was horrified to see bruise marks on her hands and face. _"What's wrong, Smugleaf!?" _she gasped.

The Snivy tried to say something but her throat got caught. Bubbles sat and waited for an answer. A full minute went by until Smugleaf broke the silence. _"I, uh, saw a ghost."_

_ "Like a bed sheet with holes cut out for eyes?"_

_ "No, Bubbles. Not a dead person ghost, I meant metaphorically."_

She walked up to the fridge and pulled out a beer. Smugleaf downed it fast, faster than she had ever drunk before.

_"What kind of ghost?" _Bubbles asked.

_"I don't know," _said Smugleaf. _"When you see it, all you see is a sea of sadness surrounding an island of hate. It brought back some bad memories."_

Smugleaf pictured Alice in her prime. The young fourteen year old girl who was beginning her Pokémon training journey. Smugleaf was full of life. Innocent, happy. Unbelievably it all crashed within the first few weeks, when a Houndoom killed Alice and ate half her remains. The incident left Smugleaf distraught, confused. And all she had left of Alice was a knife she used to cut the tomatoes. Her mouth watered, they were good tomatoes.

What a heart-attack that was to be separated forcefully from her knife. All her years of lust had built her up into a feeling of self-control. She had met countless Pokémon, loved them, and for most of them, killed them. They were delicious, too. All that love made her hungry. Smugleaf would skin their hide and roast them over a fire. These days Pokémon meat are rare, but they do come around on occasion. The PRA didn't mind eating Pokémon who used to walk among them. Technically it was normal in nature. Pokémon are either friends or food. How twisted reality can be, anyway?

_Very twisted._

There was a knock on the door, Smugleaf walked up and opened it.

Tesla stood before her.

Her initial thought was to slam the door on his face and scream "Go away!" through the key hole. But Smugleaf couldn't act, she was petrified.

"When was the last time you ever felt that scared?" Tesla asked.

Smugleaf blinked, when she realized what the question was she answered, "When I first learned of my trainer's fate."

Tesla nodded. "You sound quite literate."

"I read."

Tesla nodded, "So do I, and so does Nobark."

Smugleaf stepped aside and let Tesla walked through. He glanced around at the mountains of trash, then turned toward Bubbles. Smugleaf felt her instincts stab her brain, she resisted the urge to dive-bomb Tesla and stop him from harming the Oshawott. But she couldn't move, she was petrified.

_"Are you a rare beauty," _Tesla said in Pokémon speech.

_"My name's Bubbles," _said Bubbles, showing no obvious signs of fear.

_"Nice name, your trainer picked it out for you?"_

Bubbles smiled. _"Yeah!"_

_ "My name's Tesla, I'm Nobark's long-time friend and mentor. I'm going to see what I can do to help all the Pokémon here," _the old Pikachu took another glance around the room. _"Boy this room's a mess."_

_ "My mess," _said Smugleaf.

_"Your bedroom?" _

_ "Yes."_

_ "That explains why your scent is so foul."_

_ "I don't even know how I could breathe every night," _said Bubbles.

_"You're her roommate?" _Tesla asked.

_"Only temporary."_

_ "That's explains why there's only one bed," _Tesla walked up and lifted up the pillow. _"Oh damn, this pillow case is nasty! Such a bio-hazard, Irvin would never put up with this kind of filth."_

Tesla then walked over the trash and picked through it. _"Empty beer bottles, pizza boxes. Oh sick, used tampons," _he shot a look at Smugleaf. _"How old are you?"_

_ "Fifteen," _said Smugleaf in Pokémon speech.

_"And how long had you've been with your trainer?"_

_ "Three weeks."_

_ "You liked her?"_

_ "I loved her."_

Tesla bent over and picked up the empty beer can she tossed earlier. He looked at it for a moment, then threw the can at her. Smugleaf threw up her arms to cover her face, it bounced off her shins and clattered to the side. She stared through her fingers at Tesla, fearing for her life.

"I am a hundred and seven years old," the old Pikachu said in human speech. "I had spent seventy years of my life with my trainer. I spent most of that time angry and sad because a criminal organization took my family away from me. I drank and I drank a lot, you know what alcohol did to me?"

"What?"

"Look here."

The old Pikachu spread out some fur on his belly, Smugleaf leaned over to look. There, stretching across his belly was a brown scar. It looked recently scabbed over, the pin-size holes of the stitches were still there. "What happened?" Smugleaf asked.

"My liver got cirrhosis," said Tesla. "All that beer killed it, I had it taken out of me and replaced by a synthetic organ that came out of a laser printer."

"Oh my Arceus."

"You were in the area when I had the transplant, remember seeing or hearing about a crowd in front of the Vegas City Pokémon Center?"

Smugleaf's jaw dropped, "You're kidding me?"

"And you know who had to suffer the most out of it?"

Smugleaf knew, but she couldn't say.

Tesla turned to Bubbles. _"What do you think of Smugleaf?"_

_ "She's creepy and weird," _said Bubbles.

_"She's like that because her trainer had died and she had never got over it. You best respect that, you hear me?"_

Bubbles nodded, then she said. _"My trainer had just died."_

_ "I'm sorry," _said Tesla.

Smugleaf tried to tell him that Wotter had killed her trainer, but kept her mouth shut, fearing for more backlash.

_"Smugleaf is trying to help me through it."_

_ "She's doing well in taking care of you, but clearly she couldn't take care of herself," _he then turned back to Smugleaf and asked in human speech. "Why do you live like this?"

"Why are you so mean?" Smugleaf asked.

"Exactly."

Tesla reached out and sat his hand on her shoulder. "I'm not here to torment you, Smugleaf, I'm here to help you and your friends. I don't know why Nobark isn't providing some basic needs, but I'll see to it that I'll do the best I can. But I'm going to need some supplies, and you're going to help me."

"Me?" Smugleaf asked.

"Yes, you, and Wotter too. Nobark referred you and Wotter to help me accomplish some shopping. Note that he listens to me, all of his personalities do. He may be an old geezer, but he's still junior to me, and will always will be. You best keep that in mind."

Smugleaf nodded.

"You get ready, you're coming with me to Soho's next door neighbor. I'll give you an hour, unless you want to start now."

"An hour."

Tesla let go of Smugleaf and stepped out into the hall. He turned left, toward Wotter's bedroom. Smugleaf couldn't imagine what he would do, so she shut and locked the door and climbed on the bed.

_"Smugleaf?" _Bubbles asked.

Smugleaf pulled Bubbles close and cried on her shoulder.

**. . .**

Tesla glanced at the latch on the door next to Smugleaf's bedroom. It was thick stainless-steel, solid. The bolt was new, screwed in quite recently. Why would there be a bolt-latch screwed on the wrong side of a door, Tesla didn't wanna know. He could tell something was wrong, but he didn't care. It wasn't his business.

He continued down the hall and approached Wotter's bedroom, assuming it was his bedroom. Tesla twist the knob and pushed the door in. Wotter sat on the bed, his legs crossed, his hands propped on his knees. He opened his eyes and saw Tesla. The Discipline Pokémon said nothing. He just sat there, giving Tesla the cold stare while he returned it.

_"Hello, Wotter," _said Tesla.

_"Do I know you?" _Wotter asked.

_"I believe you do."_

_ "Prove it."_

"Which one," Tesla said in human speech. "The day we met in your trainer's gym, or in Vegas City where you were spying on me?"

_"Does it matter?"_

"Depends."

Wotter threw his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. _"The gym part."_

"I was sitting on the side-lines," said Tesla. "My trainer was getting ready to battle. Your trainer, either his name was Wilson or Truman, called you out. You had a smile on your face, excited. You ran up to me and gave me a big hug, like you were happy to see me."

Wotter said nothing.

"And I threw you back and hissed at you, and you seized up in fear until your trainer nonchalantly called you back. Then my trainer called out Nobark. He battled you. You were about to use Razor Shell on him when Nobark gave you a nasty head-butt. The Razor Shell went flying and sliced a gash in your trainer's bicep. It was bad, no blood vessels were lacerated but it was enough for your trainer to give you the stink eye."

Wotter said nothing.

"The battle went on and you lost, and later that night your trainer turned against you. He locked you in a room, beat you, gave you a bad rash using Epson salt, and left you there to fester for the night while Team Rocket was on their way to pick you up. Sometime after they took you away and locked you in a cage, Nobark bust you out and you became indebt to him. Some years later my trainer died and Nobark went and tracked you down to form the Pokémon Resistance Army. By then you were a far cry from who you once were."

Wotter said nothing.

"I believe we understand each other," added Tesla.

Wotter nodded. _"I guess you could say that."_

"Nobark told me what happened to you some time after busting you out, I gave it some thought from time to time again because Nobark had mentioned he would track you down. Apparently he did, and now you are working for him in a poorly functioning militia that could barely take care of itself."

Tesla glanced around the room. There were mountains of trash, but they were smaller. Instead of used tampons, there were socks. Lots of white short socks. They looked like they were worn once, yet Wotter wasn't wearing any socks. "So how's life treating you?" he asked.

_"It sucks,"_ said Wotter. _"There's no running water in the sinks and no one to collect the trash."_

"I can see that."

_"The f*ck you can."_

Wotter sat back on his bed and rest his head on the pillow, _"Just what do you want?"_

"I need your help on something," said Tesla.

_"What kind of help?"_

"On picking up things in town, are you up for it?"

_"No, just not today. I'm tired and I hadn't slept well last night."_

"Tomorrow then."

_"Sure, tomorrow. Leave me be."_

Tesla stepped out and closed the door behind him. He then walked out the elite bunker and looked up at the sky. It was bright blue, somewhere near noon. There was still plenty of daylight left to burn. Tesla looked around. There were Pokémon lying around, underneath the shade or under the sun. Some Pokémon were carrying crates packed with who-knew-what to somewhere in the fort. Then there were Pokémon who were lazily strolling along, their eyes looking quite tired. Tesla wasn't sure what he would expect when he stepped into Fort Wernher. He expected a fort busy with activity, but there was barely any to speak of. There was no tension or fear, just blank minds with the lack of motivation.

Tesla adjusted the backpack, the drawcord was digging into his shoulders. He walked back to the command bunker and looked for Nobark. He saw the Scrafty enter a room, Tesla followed behind. It was Nobark's bedroom, the Hoodlum Pokémon was resting on his cot. Tesla scanned the room. Right at the back wall was Nobark's AK-47. All scratched up from age and abuse, but still appeared to be in working condition. There was a half-empty cleaning kit next to the assault rifle, the cleaning brush apparently well used.

"Nobark," Tesla asked.

Nobark sat up, "Yes?"

"You got a room I could say in?"

"Somewhere around here," said Nobark. "Just pick one and stick with it."

"Thank you."

Tesla left and searched the rooms. Most of the rooms were empty or filled with boxes and derelict office machinery. None were livable. It wasn't until he got around the corner where he found some bed space. The rooms were mostly generic. Just a simple bed and a desk and an empty bookshelf. No bedsheets or pillows. Tesla flicked on the lights, only to find they don't work. He searched the rooms until he found one room with functioning ceiling lights, then walked in.

He closed the door behind him and sat the backpack at the foot of the bed. Tesla's back ached, he climbed up on the bed and closed his eyes, then thought back at his objectives.

He had already checked on Smugleaf and Wotter: Nobark's inner circle. They were going to help him, but they weren't reluctant to do so. There was also still Tendon to deal with, assuming she was still around. He hadn't seen an Audino in the crowd earlier. Thinking back at Pinki's story, she was not a social person. Tesla recapped from the point where Rex dropped him off to pointing a pistol at Smugleaf's face. Finally there was the state of Fort Wernher itself. There was trash everywhere and no running water as Wotter said. Woody mentioned a lack of supplies and his weird obsession with batteries. Tesla glanced at the clock. The LED screen was blank and covered with dust. Human time was dead here.

Tesla sat up and opened up his backpack, then walked up the table. He hopped on the chair and sat the backpack on the desk, then dumped everything on the table. He sat Mark's .22 Ruger aside and stood up all the shampoo bottles, then the battery packs. Tesla looked inside the backpack and found some maps. Rex must had put them in there, cause when Tesla unfolded one of them he found the entire map of Soho. The map looked new and recent. Tesla checked the year, current issue. The old Pikachu unfolded the other one. It was an expanded view of the area. Soho was off to the right, Fort Wernher was way off in the Northeast. There were two other towns off the west, more farther than Soho. Carbondale and Springfield. Tesla been through Carbondale, which was closer to Soho. No trigger-happy cops or racism in the area, practically untouched. Maybe the PRA hadn't touched either of them and all their energy was only concentrated on Soho. Tesla refolded the maps and set them aside.

_I'm going to need more maps, _he thought. He made a mental note to contact Rex some time later, but he was going to need something other than videophones to communicate.

The old Pikachu picked up the pistol and ejected the clip. He counted the ammunition. There were fifteen rounds in the magazine. Tesla raised an eyebrow. The magazine was fully loaded, yet he could see the spring was covered in rust and salt. The magazine was no good, it had to go. Tesla sat the mag aside but packed the pistol back into the backpack, then put it back on.

He left the command bunker and walked back to the elite one. Tesla knocked on Smugleaf's door, she opened it. Her eyes were a little pink from her grief, but overall she looked ready to go.

"Will Bubbles be alright by herself?" Tesla asked.

"Yes," said Smugleaf.

"Then come on, we don't have all day."

Smugleaf followed Tesla out the elite bunker, they stepped on to the dirt path and head toward the warehouse. "Is there an armory?"

"Yeah," said Smugleaf. "Why?"

"Cause we're going there first."

Tesla asked Smugleaf to show him where it was. The Grass Snake Pokémon led the old Pikachu to the building next to the warehouse. It was less noticeable than the other buildings, not to mention it was smaller. Somehow it seemed out-of-the-way, yet obvious at the same time. Smugleaf opened the door and walked inside, Tesla followed. Smugleaf switched on a light, lighting up the room. Mounted on the walls were a variety of firepower. Pistols, shotguns, submachine guns, assault rifles, a couple of machine guns. There was even an RPG leaning against the back wall. Tesla browsed the weapons. There were more .22 rifles and crossbows than anything else. Below the weapons were wooden cabinets. Tesla opened them. Inside were boxes of ammunition. Most of them were conventional, such as hollow-points and full-metal jackets. Yet there were a few special rounds like armor-piercing and explosive rounds. No incendiary ammo however.

The old Pikachu walked to the back. A desk sat against the wall, bolted to the surface was ammunition-making equipment. They looked new, never before used. There were several bottles of gun oil. Most were opened, a quarter of them nearly empty. Several used pipe cleaners lay scattered on the floor, covered in motor oil.

"What do you think?" Smugleaf asked.

"A good armory," said Tesla. "But it is useless without a proper firearms expert. For example, why have a workbench loaded with ammunition equipment if you're not going to use it?"

The old Pikachu turned to Smugleaf. "You know how to use a gun?"

"I'm a terrible shot," said Smugleaf. "But Wotter can hit a target at 300 meters."

"How about a moving target?"

"More or less."

Then Tesla asked, "You ever been shot before?"

Smugleaf nodded. "Once, by another Snivy. He had a .12 gauge shotgun loaded with bird shot. A pellet struck me in the arm right here, it felt like I was stung by a big bug."

"Show me the scar."

She held out her left bicep. There, not faintly visible, was a tiny scar just two centimeters long. "Why did the other Snivy shoot you?" Tesla asked.

Smugleaf said nothing.

"Let me guess, you were trying to seduce it but things went bad."

The Grass Snake Pokémon lowered her head, but said nothing.

"I've been shot in the arm with a .22, it stung a bit but it wasn't that bad. But later I was shot by a 9mm pistol, took the bullet in the leg. It was a powerful round, so powerful the scar was numb after it healed. I don't know how my femur stopped the bullet, it could have broken my leg. Maybe I was stronger than I thought I was or I was too damn lucky."

"What did the 9mm feel like?" Smugleaf asked.

"The pain was excruciating, losing a few milliliters of blood dulled it however."

Tesla took off his backpack and pulled out the .22 pistol. "This belonged to a friend," he said. "He's somewhere around here getting his ass kicked. He decided to go swimming in the sea after being caught by Soho Customs."

"Who is he?" Smugleaf asked.

"Mark Kissinger, grandson of Matt Kissinger, who was Irvin's best-friend. He is also the same bastard who shot me, but not with this, with a .22 rifle. His father later shot me in the leg."

"Why?" Smugleaf asked.

"I attacked Mark and his Pokémon because they pissed me off, so they shot at me in anger. I had it coming for all these years, so it wasn't a surprise."

"You still consider them as friends?" Smugleaf asked.

Tesla frowned. "I don't know how our relationship is sitting right now, all I know is that we're getting along. I don't want to pick at it to figure out why."

The old Pikachu opened a cabinet below the pistols, inside were ammunition and magazines. Amazingly enough there were magazines for his Ruger, five of them as a matter of fact, along with several boxes of .22 ammo. Tesla grabbed a box and three mags and took them to the bench. He hopped up on an ammunition crate to boost him up, then pulled the box open and started loading the magazines.

"So tell me," said Tesla. "How did you found out I was out there?"

"We have Swoobats flying around," said Smugleaf. "Four of them. Swoo I found you."

"Swoobats you say, Irvin had considered getting one but never got around to it. How did Nobark find them?"

"He didn't say," said Smugleaf. "He never really talked about where he got some recruits. Swoo I I know for sure had flew into Fort Wernher accidentally and Nobark recruited him on the spot, the other Swoobats say a little about their history but not the moment when Nobark recruited them. Not a word about where or how, but why I do know. They wanted a better life, most importantly, they wanted to feel appreciated."

When Tesla couldn't fit anymore ammo into the mag, he slide it into the Ruger but didn't cock it. He flipped the safety on and dropped it into the backpack. "Don't we all want to feel appreciated?"

"I guess so."

Tesla loaded the second clip, then the third. He dropped them both into the backpack and put it on. "We're heading to Springfield, second closest to Soho. Have you ever walked that far?"

"I walked everywhere."

"Then this should be a big deal."

**. . .**

Swoo I monitored the trainer for half an hour. So far he was walking around in circles, but clearly the Courting Pokémon could tell the trainer's true intentions. He was roughly heading toward Fort Wernher. Not directly at it, yet not on purpose either. This guy had no idea where it was, though he was getting close to it. Sooner or later he was going to find it, Swoo I was sure of that.

_I gotta go tell the others, _he thought.

The Courting Pokémon turned back to Fort Wernher and started flying as fast as he can.

**. . .**

Smugleaf and Tesla were already out on the gravel road moments later, they passed by the spot where they first met. Scout wasn't there, he must had went back home to complain what had happen. Tesla wasn't too worried about it, he would deal with Scout later.

Tesla heard the leaves trestle, he looked up. A Swoobat came flying through the canopy and hovered above the road. It looked surprised, pumped up with adrenaline.

_"Whoa, Swoo III," _said Smugleaf. _"He's friendly!"_

_ "Who is he?" _Swoo III asked.

"Tesla Westinghouse," said Tesla in human speech. "I'm Nobark's old friend."

The Swoobat's expression changed. _"Oh, for a moment I thought you were kidnapping Smugleaf."_

Swoo III flew lower and landed before the two Pokémon. _"You need any help with something?"_

_ "Yeah," _said Tesla. _"I've got a friend coming to Fort Wernher. A human, with four Pokémon on his person. You find a guy wandering around here with a shiny-sprite Emolga on his shoulder that would be him. He's an idiot and he's armed, you find him and tell Nobark. He'll know what to do."_

_ "Got it," _said Swoo III.

He flew back into the canopy and vanished.

So that was one of the Swoobats, Swoo III. Clearly he wasn't that bright, but he seemed reliable and honest enough. Tesla made a mental note to track them down later. "Okay," he said. "After the next few trips, we may need one of them for something."

"Like what?" Smugleaf asked.

"Like highlighting weakspots in a building for us. Their sonar can penetrate through walls you know."

"They constantly blast their sonar at Fort Wernher," said Smugleaf. "Just to calibrate their senses. They know where everyone is at all times."

"Everyone?"

"As so they say, but they keep that information to themselves. 'If we don't ask, we don't wanna know.' That's their view on us."

"Someone goes missing and they would note it."

"Yes, assuming their missing at all. These Swoobats aren't snitches you know. We had one Pokémon who went missing for three weeks. Swoo II knew he was gone, he saw him leave Fort Wernher and not come back. Woody was having a conversation with him and he dropped word about it, Swoo II told him everything he knew."

"And what happened?" Tesla asked.

"He showed us where our comrade went. Turns out he didn't get far, we found him shot dead just north of Soho. It was within sight of the wall."

Tesla raised an eyebrow. "And after all that, did anyone bothered asking why Swoo II didn't tell anyone."

"'If you don't ask, you don't wanna know.' That's what he told us."

"Smooth."

_Good to know, _Tesla thought. If Smugleaf says is true, then the Swoobats won't reveal any information unless asked. Their job was to alert Fort Wernher of trespassers, not eavesdrop. Which makes sense, since everyone deserved a level of privacy. He turned back down the road and hadn't said another word, but kept jogging the thought around in his head. This info might be good for something.

**. . .**

Wotter sat on his bed, his mind in deep thought. The old fart hadn't changed much, not one bit. The fact that he had discovered he was spying didn't worry him. He was going to know anyway. Wotter wondered what Nobark's orders were. Yes, Tesla is his superior; or was his superior. This hundred-something year old Pikachu was not a member of the Pokémon Resistance Army, yet he acted like he runs the place. That look in his eye. He wasn't trying to be powerful. He _is _powerful.

_Or was._

Oh, now there's a thought. Tesla had been claimed to be an expert electrician, but that statement was as exaggerated as it was racist. The old Pikachu didn't learn electricity, he was born with it, like Wotter was born with water-type powers. Tesla had broken himself down in the years. He got soft, mellow. He was trying to strip himself from his trainer's influence, or at least the parts that he don't want. Wotter had more luck in his own case. His abusive trainer – Wilson or Truman, whatever the f*ck his name was – destroyed his life, or severed the bond with him. So after Nobark saved him from being a potential slave, Wotter dropped the cheerful act and close himself off from the world, then waited for Nobark to come back.

Which he did, his idea to build the PRA sounded pleasant. A world wear Pokémon would have as much rights as man. Wotter had yet to see that promised fulfilled. The PRA did a better job at venting his rage on the weakest minions. The sh*tdicks. They don't get it what the world was really like. They thought that survival of the fittest was bad enough, but they had not seen what deep sh*t looked like.

Speaking of sh*tdicks.

Wotter got up from the bed and stepped out into the hall. He unlatched the bolt on the door and opened it a jar. The Panpour was still there, tied up and gagged. There were no signs of her picking at her bonds. The Spray Pokémon remained hunched over, exhausted from crying and struggling. She had no energy left in her.

He closed the door and slid the bolt back, then thought about Bubbles. Wotter glanced at Smugleaf's bedroom. Whether she was still inside or not was anyone's guess. Maybe he should go in and take a quick peek at Bubbles, see if she was still ripe for a beating. _No, _he thought. _Not yet. _

Instead he walked up to Smugleaf's door and pressed his ear against it, he heard nothing but the air conditioner.

_They must be out, someplace somewhere. _Wotter stepped out of the elite bunker and stretched his legs. Bright day, noon perhaps. What else was there to do today?

Wotter's concentration of thought broke when he heard the squealing sound of a Swoobat alarm. It was a high-pitched call, sounding more like a cheap door alarm than a Pokémon warning call. The noise sounded like it was coming from deep inside his brain, but Wotter knew better. Sometimes it was a false alarm, but he'd learned not to ignore it. There was no telling what got the Swoobat stirred up.

He ran back inside and burst into his bedroom. Wotter reached under the bed and pulled out his H&K MP5, he jammed a 9mm mag into the gun and cocked it. He grabbed his nearby backpack, stuffed it with ready-to-go magazines, and put it on.

As he was running out of the elite bunker, Bubbles stepped out of Smugleaf's bedroom. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, the loud squealing woke her up from her nap. Just as Bubbles turned toward him, Wotter kicked her in the stomach and knocked her back into the room. She tumbled and hit her head on the folding table. The mountain of trash above it toppled over, burying every part of her body. Wotter grabbed the door and closed it, then ran outside toward the command bunker.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	13. Chapter 13

_Chapter 13_

The Scrafty's eyes shot open when he heard the alarm. Despite the thickness of the concrete walls the ringing sounded crystal clear, almost like it was ringing in the room

"Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t, sh*t!"

Nobark scrambled out of his cot and slammed into the door. He grabbed his head and let out a scream, then plowed into the door again. He pressed his face against the door and balled his fist. "Open door," he cried. "I demand it!"

He grabbed the doorknob and thrust it open. Nobark stopped himself mid-run when he remembered his AK-47. The Scrafty spun around and rushed over to the bench, picked it up, jammed a thirty-mag into it, then ran back out into the hall. His hand caught the door, instead of closing it behind him it closed on his tail. Nobark's gun slipped out of his hands as he fell face-planted on the floor. He let out another scream. Nobark jumped up and pulled his tail out of the doorway, scooped up his assault rifle, then finally ran out of the command bunker.

Wotter was there to greet him, the Discipline Pokémon rushed up with his submachine gun cocked toward the sky. _"What's going on?" _he asked.

_"I have no idea," _said Nobark.

A shadow drifted over Nobark. He looked up and saw Swoo I flying above. He flapped his wings excitedly as he cried, _"Intruder. Southwest. He's human and he's armed!"_

A squad of PRA rushed up to Nobark, armed with crossbows and .22 rifles primed and loaded. Despite their laziness, they responded well to the alarm. The thought of defending their home can conger up such motivation. Woody jogged up, clutching a double-barreled sawed-off shotgun in his arms. _"What's your orders, Nobark?" _he asked.

_"A human,"_ he said. _"I got a feeling he might be the boy Tesla mentioned about. By the way, where is Tesla?"_

_ "He'd just left," _said Wotter. _"With Smugleaf."_

_ "Looks like they're going to miss the action," _said Woody.

Swoo III flew in from the tree canopy. He nearly crashed into Swoo I when the tip of his wing grazed his fellow Swoobat's side. Both Pokémon tumbled end-over-end in the air. Swoo III managed to stabilize himself. Swoo I plopped to the ground, his head swirling with stars.

Swoo III spoke with a sporadic commanding voice. _"Nobark, a message from Tesla!"_

_ "Say it!"_

_ "He says not to harm the intruder, is this what's going on!?"_

Nobark blinked, his suspicions were confirmed. _"Yes, this is what's going on!"_

_ "Tesla says not to harm him or his Pokémon!" _Swoo III faithfully reminded. _"You're not going to hurt him, right?"_

Nobark turned back to the squad. _"You heard him guys. Lethal force is not authorized. I repeat, NOT authorized. Safeties on. Use your special moves if he fires on us! Above all we must bring him and his Pokémon back alive!"_

Swoo I regained consciousness and climbed back to his feet. He took to the skies, clumsily flapped his wings and slammed into the side of the command bunker. The Courting Pokémon flopped to the ground a second time. He muttered out a sobbing cry as Nobark rushed up to Swoo I. _"Get up, comrade. You can goof around later."_

Swoo I shook the cobwebs out of his aching head. _"Uh, yes, sir!"_

Nobark turned back to the PRA. _"Okay, we're going to do this quietly. We're going to flank the bastard and surround him. Wotter, you disarm him! Whatever you do, don't alert him! If Tesla said is true, he's trigger happy and he'll get pissed really fast!"_

Nobark ran off towards the warehouse, the PRA following behind. He opened up the fence's gate and they poured into the forest as a unit. Swoo I and Swoo III hovered above, their sonars pinging the way ahead.

**. . .**

Emolga started shivering. Mark stopped and turned to her, she was shivering so hard that she might shake her fur off. "What is it, Emo?" Mark asked.

"Emo," she whimpered.

The Sky Squirrel Pokémon gestured to drop down. Mark dropped and pressed his back against a tree, Emolga and Pikachu clutched each other tightly as Mark rebooted his heartbeat sensor app. The sonar screen came back on and started pinging away. It showed a green blip and two yellow ones at the bottom of the screen, indicating it was picking up their heartbeats. Mark clutched the shotgun in his hands and listened, so far there was nothing.

"Is it the PRA, Emolga?" he asked.

Emolga nodded, but said nothing.

"Keep calm and don't show fear, let me do all the talking.

Both Emolga and Pikachu nodded.

In actuality, Mark had no plan from the start. Not only had he walked into a protective society, he handled it stupidly. Two downed cops, four terrified Pokémon, a doubtful old Pikachu, and a skeptical group of friends. Now he had somehow alerted the PRA to his presence. With no strategy whatsoever to initiate first contact he wondered if he should have stayed home. If Mark hadn't really f*cked things up before, he sure did now. He glanced at his heartbeat sensor and waited.

A line of yellow blips appeared at the edge of the screen, the heartbeat sensor began bleeping. The blips converged, the bleeping picked up speed. Mark pressed the Pokédex's power button and the screen went dead, no need for it now.

He heard a twig snapped. Mark turned his head only to be greeted with a butt of a sub-machine gun to the face.

**. . .**

Wotter hit him high and hit him hard. Mark flopped over, spilling his Pokémon on the ground. He chambered a round in his submachine and pointed it at them.

And by damn, they were fat. Their bodies were bulging with lard around their bellies and cheeks. What were their trainer feeding them? It took him a moment to realize they were electric-types. Wotter growled, he hated electric-types. A single lightning-bolt from them could knock him on his ass for weeks. These electric-types didn't look like the battling type however. A novice or expert Pokémon battler would jump into the battling stance upon seeing a threat. These two didn't know sh*t about Pokémon battling. They were mere pets. Worthless pets for a dumbsh*t homo sapien.

The Emolga couldn't help but scream. _"Mark!"_

Both the Emolga and the Pikachu rushed up to their trainer and tried to shake them awake. He was out cold and out of commission. Both Pokémon looked up to see the approaching PRA. They held up their hands. _"Don't hurt us!" _cried the Emolga.

_"We didn't do anything wrong!" _cried the Pikachu.

The sound of their voices pissed Wotter off so much that his temper surged up like a volcano. Either it was because they were female or they were innocent. He couldn't tell, all he knew it was the most offensive and inappropriate tone he had ever heard. He took a deep breath and hollered at their faces, _"Shut up you fat f*cks!_

The Discipline Pokémon kicked both Emolga and Pikachu in the stomachs. They dropped to the ground, sobbing in fear as they covered their eyes.

_Sh*tdicks, _Wotter thought. _More sh*tdicks!_

_ "Hands where I can see them!" _he barked.

Both Emolga and Pikachu held up their hands. Their arms shook madly, buckling under their own weight. Emolga gulped and said. _"Please don't-"_

Wotter held up his MP5 and crashed its stock into the Sky Squirrel Pokémon's shoulder. She drop back to the ground and screamed in agony. The Dewott grabbed her by the thick fleshly fur on her chest and lifted her up to his face, their noses mere centimeters away. _"You whine one word and I will break your jaw and every tooth you have, you understand me!"_

Emolga stared in horror.

The Discipline Pokémon heaved her up with one arm and slammed her against the trunk of the tree, she grunted and coughed. _"You understand me!?" _Wotter said again.

Emolga nodded sheepishly.

He then turned back to the Pikachu, she was trying to get up. Wotter threw the Emolga at the Mouse Pokémon and both Pokémon went down in a pile.

_"Wotter," _Nobark screamed. _"Back off, there's no need to get rough!"_

The Hoodlum Pokémon came marching up and grabbed Wotter by the shoulder. _"Wotter," _he said. _"Leave it to me."_

Wotter steamed, but he was in no position to argue with him. Especially a friend. He simply gave him a nod and said, _"Yes, sir."_

Nobark passed him and walked up to the two sh*tdicks, his hand clamped firmly on the AK-47's stock. The Emolga and Pikachu looked at each other, then turned back to Nobark. _"We've been expecting you," _he said. _"Your trainer here is Kissinger?"_

Emolga nodded. _"Yes."_

_ "Which one of you is his primary Pokémon?"_

Emolga held up her hand. _"I am."_

Mark's Pikachu's eyes bulge from her skull, she kept looking back at Mark and nudging toward his direction. Wotter's trigger finger itched, he wanted to pump her full of lead so bad.

_"Does he have any other Pokémon on him?" _Nobark asked.

_"Two more," _said Emolga. _"A Plusle and a Minun."_

_ "Call them out."_

Emolga nodded, she walked up to her unconcious trainer and dug her hands into his pockets. She was squeamish, clearly she couldn't bear the thought of rooting around her trainer's pockets. His fellow PRA comrades readied their weapons. Wotter thumbed his SMG's safety to the off position and waited.

The Sky Squirrel Pokémon pulled out two Poké balls and held them up, she squeezed her eyes shut and tossed them. Two Cheering Pokémon of opposite polarities materialized before them. Their hands were up, and they were just as terrified.

_They're just as fat as them, _was Wotter's initial thought.

He tightened his grip around his submachine gun. Great, more sh*tdicks.

Nobark gave the Cheering Pokémon a look, then turned to the squad. _"All electric-types, all of them female. They're overweight and have childish personalities. They're definitely from Faraday Island."_

He turned back to Emolga. _"How many times Mark feeds you?"_

_ "Three times a day," _said Emolga.

_"Who eats more?"_

_ "Pikachu."_

Nobark walked up to Pikachu, he reached out and grabbed a handful of flesh from her belly. She squirmed, feeling ticklish, yet her face remained locked in fright. _"Let me see your hand."_

The Mouse Pokémon held up her hand, Nobark took his and spread out her fingers. He stared at it for a moment, then looked at her in the eye. _"Your great-grandfather is Tesla, is he not?"_

_ "He is," _said Mark's Pikachu.

_"And your great-grandmother is Polly?"_

_ "Y-Yes."_

Nobark nodded and let go, Mark's Pikachu withdrew her hand and clutched her wrist. _"Definitely Westinghouse blood, but you have your great-grandmother's heart. Looks like Tesla's power evaded you."_

Mark's Pikachu said nothing, her face locked in shock.

Wotter glanced up at the squad. Their guns were still trained, their fingers over the trigger. If these sh*tdicks broke into a run, they would open fire regardless of orders. The Discipline Pokémon was certain that these Pokémon won't do any harm. They're pacifists alright. They were clearly not the battling types, yet they seemed to be well-trained. Of course, training won't do any good if one wouldn't put it to use. As much as Wotter hates it, he could not afford to harm these Pokémon any more than necessary. He turned toward the squad and ordered, _"Lower your weapons and keep the safeties on."_

The squad lowered their weapons as they were told. Wotter thumbed the SMG's safety on, his temper spiking.

_"Woody," _said Wotter. _"Help me with this."_

Nobark picked up Mark's shotgun and tossed it to the Muscular Pokémon, he ejected a shell and examined it. _"Slug rounds, these would blow us to pieces."_

Wotter spotted a hunting knife strapped to Mark's belt. He thumbed the safety back on his MP5 and strapped it to his back. The Discipline Pokémon then undo Mark's belt and pulled off the knife, Mark's Pokémon murmured something unintelligible as Woody pulled out 9mm magazines out of Mark's lower pockets. _"He has a pistol on him," _he said.

Woody grabbed Mark's shoulders and pulled him up. _"Yup, there it is, sticking out of his ass."_

Wotter pulled the knife out of the holster. It was sharp, not a single scratch was etched into its surface. He turned to Emolga. _"Did he just buy this?"_

_ "Yes," _said Emolga.

Wotter noticed the pouch on the holster, he opened it up and pulled out a pocketknife. It too was brand new. _"And this?"_

Emolga nodded. A part of Wotter wanted to rip out the hunting knife and gouge the fat out of the Emolga's belly. She sensed that possibly and held her hands closer to her face. Wotter shot her another look, he forced himself to tuck the pocketknife back into the pouch and dumped it into Mark's backpack.

Woody said, _"These clothes are new, and cheap, he definitely was preparing beforehand."_

_ "More for war than diplomacy," _said Nobark. _"I know his type, his father and grandfather were all like that when they were his age. I bet he expected us to gun him down."_

Wotter noticed something strapped to Mark's arm, it looked like a communicator or something. He held it up and tried to pull it off, but it wouldn't budge.

_"Leave it," _said Nobark. _"We don't wanna make him angry, Mark has a temper greater than yours."_

Wotter asked, _"Would he call for help?"_

_ "If he tries, then we can jam his signal. Maybe we would use his Pokémon as leverage to keep him cooperative, yet that may backfire."_

Emolga, Pikachu, and the Cheering Pokémon cringed.

_ "Can we drag his ass back to Fort Wernher now?" _Woody asked.

_"Yes, haul him to the human cells. I will take care of his Pokémon myself."_

Nobark turned to Mark's Pokémon. _"Tesla knows you're here, but don't expect him to help you. He had asked me personally to keep your trainer bottled up."_

_ "Tesla's here!?" _Mark's Pikachu blurted.

Wotter aimed his MP5 at the Pikachu's forehead, but Nobark held his shaking hand up at him. _"He got here an hour before you guys, and a while he's here you are going to help him. If you don't," _Nobark pointed to his temple. _"I got something up here that would make sure you do. You think Wotter is bad, you haven't seen anything yet. Do I make myself clear?"_

Mark's Pokémon nodded in unison. Wotter lowered his weapon and grunted. _This is why I'm not in charge, Nobark's worse than me._

Nobark turned to the squad. _"Take them to the Pokémon cells and locked them in individual rooms, we'll leave it to Tesla who he wants out and locked up."_

He then aimed his AK-47 at Mark's Pikachu. "You," he said in human speech. "You come with me, I have some personal matters we both need answering."

Pikachu froze, she held up her hands.

_"Move, girl! I'm not getting any younger!"_

The squad drew their weapons and walked Mark's Emolga and Cheering Pokémon backed to the fort, their guns trained on the back of their heads. Nobark personally clamped his hand on Pikachu's shoulder, his AK held high. Wotter and Woody grabbed Mark and carried him back to camp. They can hold his weight, but he was so tall that they had to half-drag him.

_"Are humans always this tall?" _Woody asked.

Wotter snorted. _"They used to be shorter, until the lightbulb was invented."_

**. . .**

"So tell me, Smugleaf," said Tesla as he and the Grass Snake Pokémon walked through the forest. "Who do you fear more, me or yourself?"

"What kind of question is that?" Smugleaf asked.

"When I stated the obvious back there, you took it personally."

"You held a gun at my head, I was terrified."

"How can a gun be more terrifying than a million volts running through your body?"

Smugleaf glared at him, then sighed. "Okay, what are we doing exactly?"

"Recon," said Tesla. "We're going to find a place that is storing all sorts of goods inside. We'll note the location and inform Nobark, then plan the raid."

"I thought you said we need cleaning supplies."

"We do, we just need to find them."

Tesla and Smugleaf continued on without further comment. The old Pikachu kept a close eye on her. He doesn't yet trust her, the Snivy's nature was vague and lustful. Smugleaf could whip out her machete at any time and try to sink it into his back. So far she showed no signs of frustration or a temper. She looked mostly sad, and scared. Tesla could imagine what she was like before he met her. Overly-confident and feeling quite good of herself. Smugleaf would want that feeling back. If she was going to help him, she must perform at her best. Tesla turned to her and asked, "When was the last time you ever had a nice hot drink?"

"Like never," said Smugleaf. "I had never drank coffee or an espresso before in my life."

"You would like the espresso more, tastes much better than coffee."

Smugleaf raised an eyebrow. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Cause we're going to stop at a café first. I had a rough week. I need to sit down and recollect my thoughts."

"You're tired?"

Tesla shrugged. "Either it's that, or I'm just as f*cking lazy as you. Probably the latter."

Tesla and Smugleaf emerged from the forest. Up ahead was Springfield, or so it seemed. The town was small, the tallest building only three stories high. There wasn't much traffic around, so it must be a sleepy town. But that doesn't mean that the people here hadn't seen much of anything.

"We're going to need to take some precautions," said Tesla. "One, we must speak Pokémon speech within the town borders. Two Pokémon talking human will bring unwanted attention, assuming that a yellow rat like me isn't popular enough."

"Got it," said Smugleaf.

"Second, give me your knife."

Smugleaf's eyes bulged. She wheezed, "My knife!?"

"That knife is going to mark you as a threat. If I were a human passing by and see that knife strapped to your back, I would call the police and tell them to bring the cavalry. Here, give me the knife and the holster. I will keep it in my backpack and give it back to you once we leave Springfield."

Smugleaf said nothing.

"Smugleaf, the knife please."

The Grass Snake Pokémon sucked in her cheeks and twirled her fingers. Slowly but surely she pulled up on the straps of her holster and took it off. She shut her eyes and handed it to Tesla. He took the knife and placed it in his backpack, then closed up the drawcord.

He hadn't expected it to be that easy. Tesla was used to having arguments and was ready to chew Smugleaf's head off if she said no. But being a loyal servant to Nobark, and having been trained to obey commands, she was in no position to put up a fight. Smugleaf held her head low and sniffled, she was a little too attached to that knife. Tesla wondered if he could use it as leverage against her.

_"Pokéspeak in town," _Tesla said in Pokémon speech. _"Got it?"_

_ "Got it," _Smugleaf said in Pokémon speech.

They both walk side by side into town. The setup was more or less the same as Carbondale. There wasn't much economic growth, yet there wasn't much stagnation either. This town was stable as far as Tesla could tell. The people seemed friendly enough and there were Pokémon walking among them. The PRA had left this community alone for whatever reason. When several locals glanced at them, their eyes rolled over Smugleaf. Instead they locked their gazes at him. He was the odd one out. Either it was because he was a Pikachu or he was wearing goggles and carrying a backpack. Maybe they knew who he was, they were around that age where they might have heard of him. Then again, it was still possible that the younger folks might heard stories that were passed down from them.

Tesla scanned the buildings looking for a café. There was always a café in a town like this. It is guaranteed. He found one near the community center. At first it looked standard, until the neon sign shaped as an espresso cup flashed above the doorway. Tesla smiled, then frowned. The last he had seen his great-great granddaughter was in this café chain in Vegas City, and the person who may or may not be responsible was walking next to him. Tesla shoved the thought aside and pushed the door in and walked inside, Smugleaf followed behind him.

This was the only time he broke the speech rule. He ordered the usual, a double-chocolate mocha. Small. Tesla then asked what Smugleaf's favorite flavor was. She said, in Pokémon speech, vanilla. He got her a vanilla espresso. Same size. Then paid for the drinks by placing his thumb on the scanner. The clerk, who was startled and amazed by a talking Pokémon she never saw before, went and passed the order on before tending to the next customer.

_"I thought you said not to use human speech," _said Smugleaf.

_"That's when talking to each other," _said Tesla. _"I'm not playing charades all day to make two damn orders."_

The drinks came in within minutes. Tesla took them and got a spot in a booth near the window. He passed Smugleaf's drink to her. She took it and stared at it for a moment, then looked up at Tesla. At first she tried to say something but couldn't bring herself to spit it out. _"Have any allergies?" _Tesla asked.

_"No."_

_ "Then drink it, you'll feel better."_

Smugleaf sipped her drink, her mouth fluttered between a smile and a frown. After a moment of processing she took another sip. Tesla drank his with no problem, but a little faster. The Grass Snake Pokémon just stared at him in amazement, maybe wondering how he was able to drink such a drink. Tesla glanced around. So far nobody was looking at his direction or even taking minor glances. He checked the small tell-tale signs of espionage, so far he saw nothing that raised concern.

_"So tell me," _said Tesla. _"How long were you and Wotter spying on me?"_

Smugleaf hesitated at first. After seeing Tesla was curious and not angry, she replied, _"For a week. We first saw you after you beat the sh*t out of that Oshawott. We viewed you as a curiosity, me and Wotter were wondering who you were. You seemed familiar, yet not familiar. And with that Pichu, I mean Volta, with you, it was quite a sight to see two Mouse Pokémon evolution variants together in a place where they were the last place anyone would expect to see."_

_ "I keep seeing you occasionally after our first glance," _said Tesla. _"You guys weren't too hidden, it would be easier if you would watch me from a window. But instead you watch me from rooftops where your outline sticks out more than my yellow fur."_

_ "You seen us at the Faraday Power Tournament?"_

_ "You were there?"_

_ "Balcony, around the back wall where the air conditioners are. Me and Wotter broke into the roof and watched the whole show. With the snacks we brought with us, we were pretty comfortable. We slept during the second round but we saw the beginning and the conclusion." _Then she added, _"So I saw Volta evolved, I was nearly blinded by the light. When her newly-evolved form presented itself, she had your posture and look. I almost thought there were two of you and I almost believed it."_

Tesla sipped his mocha. _"That was one promise I fulfilled, but I broke another. I gave Volta to Cabot as a consolation prize cause I wanted her to have things that I couldn't provide. Like a roof over her head. The next day, when I heard what happened to her and Cabot…"_

The old Pikachu paused for a moment, giving the Snivy another cold stare. Smugleaf tensed up, her espresso shaking in her hands.

"_Where were you when things went south for me?"_

_ "Long gone," _said Smugleaf. _"Heading back to Fort Wernher, Nobark promised beer and cake."_

_ "Did he provide?"_

_ "He did, I don't know how but he did. Wotter didn't want any cake, so I got the whole thing for myself. I don't know how I ate the whole thing either, I couldn't remember much after that party."_

_ "You do look a little different from the last time I saw you, you definitely put on a little more weight."_

Smugleaf frowned. _"You're like Wotter, always pestering me about my weight."_

_ "He probably got that notion from me, through Nobark. A lot of Irvin's Pokémon got fat from the diet he provided, had Nobark mentioned he used to have a girlfriend?"_

Smugleaf shook her head. _"No."_

_ "It was an Audino named Medic, we just call her Med for short. She was quite fat, she had a gut that was growing over the years since we first got her. Med was quite a slob with an appetite, which went against the code she learned in medical school. Not sure what that code is, but it condemned her lifestyle. I think Nobark took interest in her because of it. But the relationship was for fun, not for love."_

Smugleaf managed a much bigger sip from her drink, then asked. _"Did they ever . . . you know?"_

Tesla took one large gulp of his drink, then smiled. _"All the time, and he had no discretion whatsoever. Irvin walked in on one of their adventures one day, interestingly it was right after they were finished but they hadn't yet detached. He just walked in and saw Nobark over Med in the missionary position. Irvin just looked at him, shrugged, and walked off like it was no big deal. By f*ck, you should have seen the look on that Scrafty's face. It was priceless. Sad to say Med was out cold and slept through it all, she had passed out when they hit climax."_

_ "Where did they do it?"_

_ "In the living room, we were watching the whole thing from the porch window. Like I said, he had no discretion."_

Smugleaf sipped more of her drink and glanced out the window. Tesla looked in his drink, it was almost gone. He chugged the rest down and looked out the window. There wasn't anything of interest, though the sky was quite pretty this time of day. _"You're done with your drink?" _Tesla asked.

_"I'm done." _

_"Was it good?"_

_ "It tasted so good that I'm feeling guilty about it, it kind of reminded me of the comforts I want back. Like a bath or shower."_

_ "That's why we're here, the return of basic comforts. We're doing it one step at a time."_

Smugleaf finished off her drink and got down from the booth. _"Okay, let's go."_

They tossed their empty cups in the trash can and stepped out of the café. When they got to the end of the block, Tesla just realized something. _"To come to think of it, Mark inherited Irvin's strategy. He treats his Pokémon like children more than Pokémon."_

_ "He does?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"He feeds them people food and everything, you should see how fat they are."_

They turned the corner and walked down the street. Tesla nudged Smugleaf with his elbow. _"Hold on, there's a bank up ahead. We're going to need to stop there first."_

_ "Why?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"Cause we're going to need some cash."_

The bank was a one-story building. It looked local, as it was a bank Tesla hadn't seen before. Sure enough, it was called the Bank of Springfield. The building was constructed out of decorative concrete, painted with a white coating. Most of the walls were glass, maybe it was built just a few years ago. Next to it was an apartment building with a tight alleyway in between. As they approached the bank, Tesla did a three-sixty degree scan for any onlookers. There were none. He then kept a sharp eye out for ATMs. Tesla walked around to the other side of the bank and found one, it was placed in a wide open parking lot. Maybe people prefer to do personal transactions than use a machine, which means there could be a lot of cash inside.

_"You see anyone wandering around?" _Tesla asked.

Smugleaf looked around, then shook her head. _"I see no one."_

_ "Well then, let me show you a magic trick."_

Tesla approached the ATM, he placed his hand against the machine. He made one final check to see if anyone was watching, then jolt the machine with a shock of electricity. The ATM beeped, churned, and spat out a brick of bills. Tesla grabbed it and counted each note, they were worth a hundred Pokédollars each.

_"How did you do that?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"I don't really know," _said Tesla. _"All I do know is that I have a lot of power at my disposal."_

_ "How much money did you get?"_

_ "About ten-thousand Pokédollars, all in one hundred Pokédollar bills."_

Smugleaf's eyes bulge open. _"Why do you need that much?"_

_ "Cause the PRA is going to need some funding. And besides, I'm a greedy bastard."_

Tesla shoved the cash into the backpack and zipped it up. _"Now let's walk away like nothing even happened, shall we?"_

The old Pikachu walked back onto the road. Smugleaf stayed close, looking more surprised at what she had just seen. He headed roughly toward the Pokémon Center, but took a longer route around the block. They passed by several convenience stores. Most were small businesses, though there were a few retail-chains he recognized. Overall, a good chunk of them were locally owned. So far there wasn't much business happening, but Tesla had no intentions on stopping by. Not just yet. Tesla and Smugleaf turned the corner and approached the Pokémon Center. It looked newer, like it was just opened yesterday. Most of the outside walls were glass. Noticeably tinted. The name _Springfield Pokémon Center_ was professionally labeled in stainless steel letters just above the door. Tesla and Smugleaf approached the entrance, the automatic doors sensed their approach and slid open as if they were being polite.

_"Had you ever been here before?" _Tesla asked.

_"No," _said Smugleaf.

_"There's a restroom in the back, with shampoo and body wash dispensers. Grab a bottle each and take a long shower, scrub every part of you. Your tail, your armpits, your genitals. Everything. Then brush your teeth with toothpaste and wash it out with mouth wash. Don't come out of there until you smell fresh and clean."_

Smugleaf nodded, then head over to the back. An Audino who was busy mopping the floor noticed their approach. It didn't seem too interested. No ping of fear or suspicion, the Hearing Pokémon definitely hadn't experienced past trauma. Tesla looked around for the Nurse Joy, she was nowhere in sight. There was a videophone up and running against the wall. Tesla walked up to the Audino and asked, _"You got a tall chair or something that I can use? I gotta make a call on the videophone."_

The Hearing Pokémon nodded. _"One moment, friend."_

The Audino sat the mop back in the wash bucket and walked to the back. It came back out with a chair. It was tall and sturdy, it placed it right in front of the videophone and head back to its wash bucket. _"There we go."_

_ "Thank you," _said Tesla.

The old Pikachu climbed up on the chair. He pressed on the touchscreen and activated the dial-pad. Tesla then punched in Faraday Island's regional suffix and area code, then dialed an old friend's phone number from memory.

**. . .**

A newspaper flied from the paper car and struck the door of a non-descript non-story house. The door opened, an elderly man with a thick build stepped out. He bent over, wincing as his arthritis bit into his back, and picked up his afternoon subscription of _The Faraday Times_. He looked out into the horizon. Faraday City's triangular structured and cylindrical vertical farms loomed in the distance. A symbol of a booming independent economy. Self-sufficiency was the name of the game. When he was a kid those skyscrapers were still on paper, he hadn't seen them built until he was forty for fifty, when the Unova mainland lifted all trade barriers to the island and put in funding for education. The traditional electric passion went to hyper-drive, which kickstarted the movement toward independence.

Unova was far away, so far its presence was not easily felt. The youth groups and rising stars in Faraday's Liberal Party was leading the charge. Having firm control over the general assembly and the executive branch, the Conservative Party's influence was next to null. The old man sighed, he stepped back into his house and unfolded the newspaper. Again, more talk about independence and a civil war. Things were heating up, had been for the last twenty years. Ever since Tesla came back into the public spotlight, and later showed up in Unova. Faraday Island went back to hyperdrive. With the major reduction in law enforcement all over the island since Tesla's pardon, most of these unemployed police officers were hired by the providential guard. A few went to Interpol, and a greater few went to Unova and other regions for work. Somehow this increased tension around of the world. Not only did they took their resumes, they also brought with them stories of Tesla and how he had been both a celebrity and a thorn to their side on the island.

The old man sat aside his newspaper. His son, now Faraday City's chief of police, had boosted efficiency in law enforcement after the dramatic slash in its numbers. His grandson had sent out applications to companies relating to utilities and electronics like Faraday Power and Nintendo. Mark hadn't mentioned his progress, all he knew was his grandson was pretty confident.

As he walked into the living room, his videophone started ringing. The old man raised an eyebrow. Few people ever call him anymore. His family members and old friends, sure. In the height of his career, people were calling him as far as Kanto. His inbox was so jammed with messages that he calculated it would take thirty years four months and twenty-three days to hear it all. He called the phone company to set up a private phone line and take his phone number off the listing. It didn't stop the calls, but it made them more manageable. Now he got one phone call a month from a random source, the world felt like it had mostly forgotten about him.

The old man followed the rings and looked at the touchscreen. It read "Springfield Pokémon Center," along with the phone number. The regional suffix showed it was from Unova, but Springfield was a town he did not recognized. The old man wondered who could be calling him from a town up in the mainland, for all he knew his connections had all but seized up since retirement.

He pressed the answer button, and on the screen appeared an old friend. For a moment, he felt like he was a kid again.

But the initial enthusiasm died when he saw the look on his face.

"Tesla," he said, trying to muster whatever emotion he had left. "It's so good to see you."

"Hi, bud," said Tesla. "It's been a while."

"I heard what happened about that surgery. Are you alright, is Volta alright?"

Tesla just stared that cold stare he always had, then his eyes melted. "I'm fine about that, recovered and such. But Volta's gone. Long story short, I gave her to a trusted trainer after she evolved. Remember Cabot Richardson?"

"Yes, you had to battle him to get your pardon."

"Just a couple of hours after I gave her up, a hit-squad gunned him down outside his hotel. He's dead. One of his Pokémon got kidnapped and Volta dropped off the face of the world," he paused for a moment and pinched his nose. "Volta managed to get away, I'm not sure if she's fine or not. All I know is that I broke a promise. I promised her she would be safe with him, and I blew it. I thought I f*cked up big-time, but I later found out I _really _f*cked up."

Matt unconsciously picked up the receiver from its cradle and held it to his ear. Tesla did the same. When important information was about to be passed, they pick up the receivers and speak into them. It was old-fashion, obsolete technology. But international law stated that videophones must have the traditional telephone receivers with cords. It proved to be quite useful in this case, as Matt was caught off-guard for what Tesla had to say. "What happened, Tesla?" Matt asked.

"It was Nobark who ordered Cabot's death. This was no cold-blooded murder, it was an assassination."

Matt felt his heart skipped a beat. "Nobark?"

"The very same Nobark we all know and loved. The Scrafty with multiple personalities and PA. The very same Nobark I had saved from Irvin who decided to euthanize him . . . It was him alright. I tracked him down and he confessed."

"What's going on, Tesla?"

"Nobark had created a militia after Irvin's death called the Pokémon Resistance Army. The PRA claims they are fighting for equal rights for Pokémon, they view Pokémon battling and training as immoral. Instead they go around and kill every trainer they can get their hands on and either kill or recruit the Pokémon they have on them. It was so bad that an entire town called Soho went into martial law, for the past _fifteen_ years. Few Pokémon lived there anymore, they would be put down if they showed their face."

Matt shook his head. "Unbelievable. Mark just went back to Unova, trying to find Nobark."

"He's here," said Tesla. "And he's in deep sh*t. Mark walked into Soho and it chewed him up and spat him out. Now I don't know where he is."

"Be sure you find him," said Matt. "Please make sure he's okay."

Tesla chuckled. "I remembered when you were his age. You wound up getting yourself into trouble and disappearing, and I can't sleep at night because I feared you might be dead. But nope, you came out of it alright. You and your son acted just like Mark when you're his age. Family tradition always make history repeat itself," then he said. "I'll be sure he's okay, I just told Nobark to sit on him if the PRA finds him."

"How is Nobark anyway?" Matt asked.

"Same as the time I last saw him. But frailer, older. He's half-blind and sick, but he still had enough strength in him to be the same old Scrafty I always remembered. He asked me to help him with his situation, he wants me to do his dirty work."

"What are you going to do?" Matt asked.

"I'm not going to say it over the phone, all I can say is that I'm going to clean up Nobark's mess and send him back home to Faraday City. I'll have Mark bring him back for me."

Matt nodded. "You be careful, if Nobark's more unstable than before-"

"I know, but Nobark's still conditioned to be loyal. If I say to stand on his right foot, he will stand on his right foot. But he's a time-bomb with a clock shifting forward and backwards without warning. He's going to blow no matter what I do."

The old Pikachu sighed. "I shouldn't have convinced Irvin not to put him down, few decisions come back to haunt me and this is one of them. I swear I could hear Irvin in his grave, telling me 'I told you so!'"

"Don't beat yourself up over it, Tesla. You didn't know Nobark would come to this."

Tesla stamped his foot, cheeks sparkling. "I knew, Matt! I f*cking knew! I saw it in his eyes when I first met him! I thought Irvin could bring him under control, but he couldn't. Now he's dead in the grave and I'm stuck with this sh*t! . . . I knew Nobark would do something like this, but it was just a hunch. How come I hadn't forseen it!?"

The old Pikachu took a deep breath, then exhaled. "Well, it doesn't matter now. Nobark had brought up a very important issue: He made Soho what he views the world. What _I _view the world. No good will come out of this."

"Is there anything you want me to do?" Matt asked.

"Tell Emmitt what's going on, but leave the part about Mark out. CNN hadn't broke this yet, but once I start stirring things around all of Unova and Faraday Island will know. And with the tension going on right now between the two is hot enough as it is. One problem will lead to another and all politics will crumble."

"You know what's going on?"

"Yes, I do. I caused it."

Then Tesla finally said, "I'll try to get Nobark to talk to you, he misses you a lot. I'll talk to you later, old friend."

"Be safe, Tesla."

"I'll try to be."

The touchscreen went blank, Matt sat the receiver back on the cradle. He stood there for a long time, processing all the information Tesla had dumped on him. He shook his head and pound his fist on the edge of the videophone. "Sh*t, sh*t!"

He reactivated the touchscreen and started dialing numbers. Old contacts and friends who owed him a few favors. Whatever was happening, Matt wanted to be ready. Things were about to go down, and go down hard.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	14. Chapter 14

_Chapter 14_

In Soho, things started coming apart. The Soho Police Department started becoming suspicious of Ash and his friends. The police would give any passing trainer a hard look, but usually leave them alone. Sometimes they were stopped on the street, questioned for a bit, then leave them be for the rest of the day. This time things were different. Nobark Westinghouse was Irvin's Pokémon, and so was Tesla. And since Tesla was associated with Ash, that raised red flags up on the Soho hierarchy. Again, the PRA would use trainers as Trojan horses to penetrate Soho's defenses. On occasion the trainers were radical Pokémon activists, running off of the same ideology that built the PRA. But those trainers were few and far in between, and even more rarely the trainer and PRA insurgents would see eye-to-eye.

Ash and his friends were in and out of the Pokémon Center, leaving their Pikachu and Axew with his own Pokémon. Sara and Pikachu would occasionally talk while Axew nap. Somehow it was mystical to see all three Mice Pokémon variants sitting together. The Pichu, Pikachu, and Raichu. The triad of electrical power. Rex had the thought of tracking down Volts's father. It would be nice to have the entire family together. He had mentioned it to Sara and asked her what she thought. The way she reacted suggested she had mixed feelings about the idea. Rex understood why. Yes, it is good to have both the mother and father together to raise the child. However, the father wouldn't settle down with one mate. Sara had no romantic relations with Volts's father and vise versa. He won't settle down with her. They'd just simply mated because it was that time of the season. It was all for lust, not for love. And out of that came Volts, the unplanned consequences of such lust.

Ash's Pikachu seemed to be playing the father-role quite well, maybe he had experience with baby Pokémon. Like Volts's father, Rex saw no romantic tension in Sara's eyes as she chat with Pikachu. Despite being in a place where Pokémon had restricted freedom of movement, they seemed to be doing fine.

Until the police came back.

The entrance simply slid open and they just pour in. Rex just sat there, frozen in shock. He watched as they took dead-aim at Pikachu with shotguns. Sara clutched tight to Volts and used her own body as a shield. Pikachu started pleading, his hands up in the air, trying to guilt the officers. It didn't work, they just grabbed his hands and snapped the Pokémon cuffs on him, then dropped him a potato sack. Axew was also caught off-guard. Before he realized what was going on, the cuffs were on and he was dropped in a separate bag. They squirmed and screamed as the officers carried them out to their squad cars.

Rex just sat there and let the Soho police do their work. He had seen this moment before. Every so often when an outsider with Pokémon set off alarm bells in Soho, the police knew where to find them. Sometimes the trainers were elsewhere. Their Pokémon were left alone to bear the horror of being nabbed by the police. What was unusual about this arrest was the speed, aggression, and number of officers present. The Soho PD followed a guideline when apprehending small Pokémon. Mostly two officers would make the arrest, sometimes three, rarely four. Rex had never seen seven officers at one time, not to mention they were all wearing body armor wielding SMGs. That wasn't the case the other night.

Once Pikachu and Axew were taken away Rex got up and asked the supervisor, "What's going on?"

"Chief Hattricks orders," he said. "All foreigners must leave Soho. With Tesla prodding the PRA, the risk of an attack can never be greater."

"You got a wall around this town and are armed to the teeth, surely you can hold them off!"

The supervisor shook his head. "There's more of them than us, we can't risk having innocent people in Soho at this time."

Rex just stared at him, then asked, "Where's Ash?"

"We picked him and his friends up ten minutes ago, they're taking him to the southern checkpoint where they would officially kick them out of Soho. I suggest you sit tight and wait before you do anything."

Rex nodded. "Understood, sir."

The supervisor and his officers left as fast as they came. Rex could still hear Pikachu and Axew's screams ringing in his ears. He glanced at Sara. She muttered reassuring words into Volts's ear. He sat there petrified, Sara wasn't able to break the spell. Rex sat beside them and wrapped his arm around Sara, she leaned over and licked his cheek, then pressed her head against his chest.

"Oh this is bad," he thought aloud.

"Rai," Sara nodded.

**. . .**

"You can't do that!" Ash stamped.

Chief Hattricks said, "Oh yes I can."

Ash and his friends were escorted out of the checkpoint. Hours before he had shut down all public transport coming in and out of Soho. What should be a long line was instead replaced by a roadblock of armed guards, wearing SWAT team armor. They watched as Hattricks ordered the cuffs to be taken off. When the officers removed their bonds, Hattricks held up two brown sacks. He tossed one to Ash, then to that green-hair kid. They opened the bags and found Pikachu and Axew inside, an officer removed their handcuffs and they ran behind the trainers. Feverishly shaking to their cores.

"Head to either Carbondale or Springfield," said Chief Hattricks. "They're not that far, I'll tell Tesla to check the towns for you guys assuming he would come around."

"You could have just asked us to leave," said the purple-haired girl.

"Had asked trainers to leave before, most of the time a Pokémon of theirs would go rouge and attack us."

"Why?" Ash asked.

"Cause the Pokémon were PRA and they are ruthless. Kid, I don't know where you have been and what you have seen. But we hadn't seen Pokémon like the PRA since ancient times, and back then humanity wasn't so forgiving."

Ash said nothing.

"Well," said Chief Hattricks. "Move along now, daylight's burning."

**. . .**

The PRA had eyes everywhere. In the trees, the sky, and other trainers. If a person were to sneeze or cough, they would know about it. Scout hid in the bushes and watch as the raven-hair kid and his friends walked away from the checkpoint. Chief Hattricks just stood there, his arms bent with his knuckles resting on his waist. His goons just stand there, ready to open fire when necessary.

What caught his eye was the unusual yellow Mouse Pokémon the raven-hair kid was holding. He clutched to the rat, it wrapped its chubby arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder. The green-haired kid handed the Axew backed to the crazy purple-hair girl, it snuggled into her hair and vanished. There was something about them that made them stand out from the rest. He saw no greed or prestige like they saw from other trainers. They saw something different. Something familiar, yet so far away it might as well be the twinkle of a shining star.

_"Better inform Nobark about this," _Scout said to no one in particular.

Scout turned around and disappeared into the trees, heading back to Soho.

**. . .**

When Smugleaf stepped out of the bathroom, Tesla was impressed. She looked both confused and awed, but clean as a whistle. The Snivy walked up to the old Pikachu, her jaw hanging as she stared at him. _"Well," _said Tesla. _"How did it go?"_

She smelled like pineapples and grapefruit shampoo and her breath was minty. Tesla couldn't pick up a single trace of the stench that once clung to her. Smugleaf looked at her hands for a moment, then dropped them. _"I'm lost for words."_

_ "How long was it since you had a proper shower?"_

_ "About never."_

_ "Feels good, does it?"_

_ "Nothing itches as they used to, I'm amazed."_

Tesla nodded. _"If you want to get a shower like that at Fort Wernher, you must work for it. Putting together the building components is a tedious task, you better put some backbone into it."_

Smugleaf rubbed her belly. _"I'm getting hungry, can we get something to eat?"_

_ "Services here are good, but the restaurants in town are better."_

_ "What kind of restaurants?"_

_ "I'll show you."_

Smugleaf followed Tesla out of the Pokémon Center and back onto Main Street. After a quick scan, the Mouse Pokémon found a restaurant that seemed nice. He and Smugleaf walked in. The place had a smooth concrete floor, sky-blue wallpaper, and paper-white ceiling. The place was well-lit and had plenty of tables for seating. It wasn't crowded, yet it wasn't near empty either. The people wore mostly casual clothes, and their Pokémon were seated at the tables. A few eyes wander toward their direction, but no one took interest. Tesla got a seat at a small table next to a window, but this time at the corner of the restaurant. Smugleaf sat down in front of him. She glanced around, her eyes glitter with amazement.

_"Civilization feels nice, doesn't it?" _Tesla asked.

Smugleaf blinked. _"What?"_

_ "You look like you haven't been in a restaurant before."_

_ "Uh, yes. Wait, no, I've never been in one before."_

_ "What were you expecting?"_

_ "A trash can."_

Tesla smiled. _"I was raised off of trash cans, but I was trained for the table. Believe me, having matters at both settings would bring less problems from strangers."_

The waiter came up and asked to take their orders. He was surprised when Tesla spoke human speech as he ordered biscuits with butter. Tesla asked what Smugleaf wanted, she looked at the menu and asked for macaroni and cheese. Tesla translated for her. The waiter wrote their orders down and left them alone.

_"What was it like living with your trainer," _Smugleaf asked. _"And with Nobark?"_

_ "On most days, dull. On some days, a nightmare. Irvin's Pokémon are crude, silly, and get on my nerves a lot. But they're loving and loyal, I should know because I was the one who brought them into our little army."_

_ "How?"_

_ "Irvin never caught any Pokémon in the wild, not in the sense we all know it. Instead he staked out Pokémon populations he desire and send me to poach specific eggs."_

_ "You kidnapped them," _Smugleaf asked. _"Why?"_

_ "I was doing what I was told," _said Tesla. _"I wanted to live and I needed friends, and Irvin needed obedient Pokémon. When we get an egg, we incubate them until they hatch. Then we started knocking training and conditioning into them until we get the desired effect. Punishment is usually bad. Most of the time Irvin doesn't care what they do, but if he caught his Pokémon fighting," _he chuckled. _"Oh boy did he discipline them!"_

_ "Did he ever hit them?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"No, he never slap or hit them in anyway. He grabbed them, yes, but never any physical harm. That was my job."_

Smugleaf said nothing.

_"When there's in-fighting or disputes, Irvin needed me to crack down on that. He cannot afford to have rivalries brewing. Since I have a zero-tolerance policy for nonsense, I really hit them hard."_

_ "That harsh?"_

_ "Their conditioning requires it."_

Smugleaf shook her head. _"That explains why you attacked Nobark, because of what happened to Soho."_

_ "Nobark's in deep sh*t, worse than any trouble he had gotten with Irvin. I don't always bail him out. If it has to do with affairs outside of Irvin's circle, I would take care of him. But inside, I throw him to the wolves. I treated Nobark like all the others, even though he was my friend."_

_ "Why?"_

_ "Because sometimes, that Scrafty isn't Nobark. That's why I attacked him back there in Fort Wernher, Nobark never breaks down in tears. That was just one of his personalities."_

_ "Do you know how many are there?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"Several major ones and a few minors. Every single personality is actually an emotion. The more he uses a single emotion, the stronger it becomes. Back then it used to be the happy emotion. Ever since Irvin died, anger took over. You ever see him happy?"_

_ "No, not really."_

_ "He never was happy ever since Irvin died. Yes, he was glad to see me. But his true happiness is dead and buried, much like Wotter's."_

The waiter came back with their ordered food. He handed Tesla his biscuits and handed Smugleaf macaroni and cheese. The waiter asked Tesla what they would like to drink. He said water, two glasses with lemons. When the waiter left, Tesla picked up his biscuit and cut it open with his knife, then added in butter. Smugleaf picked up her fork and scooped up some macaroni. _"Alice taught you table matters?"_

_ "Yes, she did."_

Smugleaf took a bite out of her macaroni, she squeezed her eyes. _"It tasted better than I'd remembered."_

The waiter came back with the water. He sat them on the table and Tesla thanked him, he left them alone for the final time. Smugleaf stared at the lemon slice clipped to the edge of the cup, she had no idea why it was there. _"Put it in your water and drink it, you need the Vitamin C."_

Smugleaf knocked the lemon slice into the water and stirred it in her drink, then sipped it. _"I can taste the Vitamin C already."_

_ "That would be citric acid from the lemon."_

_ "Oh."_

Tesla and Smugleaf ate most of their meals in silence. While the old Pikachu showed little appetite, Smugleaf couldn't help but wolf down her macaroni and cheese. Tesla chuckled. His friends back in the Westinghouse days tend to have that sort of appetite. They would eat till there was nothing on their plate, then try to mooch off of others. On some days when Tesla wasn't feeling hungry, he would give his food away to some of them. Again, Irvin didn't care. If his Pokémon would eat until they got fat, then that's their business. Besides, it made them more manageable.

Speaking of management, Tesla recalled his promise to Pinki. The Hearing Pokémon was said to have such a lifestyle, which was not that different from Smugleafs.

_"You know an Audino named Tendon?" _Tesla asked Smugleaf.

_"Sure," _said Smugleaf. _"She's Fort Wernher's medic, why?"_

_ She always asked why, _Tesla thought. _"I heard her name got dropped, it was something I must look into. What can you tell me about her?"_

_ "Not much. She has quite a pot belly going and an attitude similar to Wotter. Supposing she can treat you for ailments and injuries, and in return you must satisfy certain _needs _as she put it."_

_ "As payment?" _Tesla asked.

_"Yes," _said Smugleaf. _"As payment."_

_ "No matter what gender you are?"_

Smugleaf shook her head. _"She's bi-sexual, she doesn't care who or what. Even Nobark stops by at times to get some pills for his own health problems."_

Tesla sat there for a moment, processing it all in his head. He then asked, _"Are you bi-sexual as well?"_

Smugleaf bit her lip, then nodded. _"Yes, you can tell?"_

_ "I don't know what kind of funny business you're pulling with Bubbles, and it ain't none of my business. Like I said, I know your type. Sure you may be helping Bubbles and apparently you're doing well, but you have a secret agenda in mind. And this secret agenda is so selfish I might as well consider you as Wotter's direct opposite."_

Smugleaf said nothing.

_"Is that what drives the PRA? Lustful pleasure?"_

_ "Why do you care?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"Because in my day there is always a Pokémon mating with another Pokémon around the corner. I saw that look in your eye Smugleaf. You run off of it. That's why I held a gun to your face. I had the notion you will try to seduce me, and so I stripped whatever pride you had in that confused little head of yours."_

He could see Smugleaf shrink in her skin. She whimpered, her hands shook. She looked like she was getting ready to cry.

_"The loss of your trainer still hurts."_

That was no question, Smugleaf nodded her head grievously. _"Yes."_

Tesla pushed his plate of biscuits to Smugleaf. _"Here, I'm not feeling really hungry. You have the rest. Remember, I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to help you. If you want a better meaning to your life, you better suck it up and get with the program. Things are about to change and you need to be in the best condition possible. Got it?"_

_ "Yes, I got it. Thank you."_

Tesla chuckled. _"Don't thank me yet, we haven't even gotten started."_

**. . .**

_"Please don't hurt me," _Mark's Pikachu pleaded.

_"Nonsense," _said Nobark. _"Why would I ever hurt you?"_

While Wotter and Woody hauled Mark into the human jail, Nobark brought his Pikachu into the command bunker. The other Pokémon were told to sit and wait, and since Smugleaf wasn't around to keep an eye on them he had them locked up in the Pokémon jail. Temporary of course. Nobark led her to the same room he led Tesla, sat her on the same sofa on the same spot. Nobark sat down beside her, a smile barely visible on his grin. His first impressions of her were so far good. Mark's Pikachu was well fed. Chubbier than Tesla, but more docile. Polly was like that, docile and sweet. Tesla's great-great granddaughter managed to inherit it, but apparently had not inherited his traits.

She scanned her surroundings with dread. Fort Wernher was foreign to her, and the thought of being apart from her trainer made her feel even more helpless. Nobark couldn't exactly remember how the whole thing went down. He remembered Wotter knocking Mark out and escorting the Pikachu to the fort, but not the middle. A whole chunk of the moment had been blanked out. No matter. The memory was somewhere in his head, he would go over with the other emotions and figure it out later.

Nobark reached out and pinched Mark's Pikachu's belly. It was sagging a little over her groin. She squirmed as Nobark pulled it up. _"You're quite well fed," _said Nobark.

Pikachu yelped and swat his hand away and covered her belly. _"Stop, that's ticklish!"_

_ "Whatever this Mark is doing, he seemed to be doing it right. Does he feed you when you feel like eating?"_

Mark's Pikachu nodded. _"Sometimes, usually on the weekends. The weekdays, usually four times a day."_

_ "He must be constantly stress from satisfying your needs," _said Nobark. _"Were there some days where he doesn't have any energy?"_

_ "Around the evening hours, mostly." _Then Pikachu said, _"Where's Mark and the others?"_

_ "Taken care of," _said Nobark. _"Your great grandfather have asked me to sit on you until he gets back."_

_ "So he's really here."_

_ "Yes, he's away for the moment. He is running an errand for me. From what he told me, Mark's going to stay locked up and you are going to do whatever Tesla says. Don't make this harder than it should be."_

Mark's Pikachu just looked at him, her eyes tearing up. She covered her face and cried, _"I want Mark!"_

**. . .**

Nobark's head clicked as a personality took over. He grabbed Mark's Pikachu by the fur on her collarbone and hoisted her up. _"Look at me," _he hissed.

Mark's Pikachu froze.

_"Tell me, who brought you here?"_

_ "Mark," _she whimpered.

_"Who took you over the cliff at Soho?"_

_ "Mark."_

_ "And who stirred up the Soho PD and caused trouble."_

Pikachu said nothing.

Nobark threw her back, hitting her head on the arm of the couch. _"Answer me, damn it."_

_ "Mark," _said Pikachu. _"It was Mark, it was all Mark!"_

_ "And you went along with all of this, even though he almost got you and your friends killed?"_

Pikachu curled up at the corner, shivering out of her skin.

_"What else did he do for you, besides fatten you up?"_

Pikachu said nothing. Nobark caught something in her eye, she knew something but wasn't willing to tell. He nodded, then got off from the couch.

_She's just like Smugleaf, _Anger hissed in his head. _Pleasure-driven, I tell you!_

_ Shut up for a moment and let me think._

Nobark thought for a moment, turned back to Pikachu. _"What did he do for you?" _he asked in a calmer voice.

Pikachu said nothing.

_"I can tell what it is, but I don't know the specifics," _he chuckled. _"Let me guess, he helped take care of a certain urge you were having?"_

The Mouse Pokémon covered her eyes. _"Leave me alone!"_

**. . .**

Nobark blinked. Spots flooded his vision, his head throbbing with his heartbeat. The Hoodlum Pokémon shook the spots out of his head, then sat back on the couch. _"Did I yell at you?"_

_ "Yes," _Pikachu whimpered. _"You did, you were harsh!"_

He sighed. _"There's more than one me in my head, they're all demanding control."_

_ You can say that again, _said Judgment.

Nobark gripped his head. _"It's like having a committee in your brain that isn't getting along so well. It's a nightmare, Pikachu. It's hard for me to compete with them. I'm sorry I yell at you, I don't know what came over me."_

Pikachu stopped shivering, but was no less cautious. She sat up, scooted closer, but kept her distance. _"How did Tesla handle you?" _she asked.

_"He hits me to cycle through the personalities," _said Nobark. _"Like pressing the button on the TV remote to change the channel. Your whimpering called one of them out, the one that craves fear. And it was you begging for mercy that called me back."_

Mark's Pikachu shivered, she sat up and hesitated before asking, _"What was Tesla like back then?"_

_ "Mean, professional, if he catches you breaking Irvin's No Fight Policy he hits you until you get bruises, then lock you in a room to fester for the entire day. But only if you're lucky. Irvin never hits his Pokémon, that's Tesla's job. He's like a thug almost."_

_ "He was quite compassionate when I first met him, kinder."_

Suddenly, Nobark thought of something. _"Was he around this Ash character?"_

The Mouse Pokémon nodded. _"Yes, he was. He was quite attached to him."_

_ "And he also have a Pikachu."_

_ "Yes, he does."_

_ "For whatever reason, I saw no compassion from him. Just discipline. Why? That part of me that yelled at you f*cked up, that's why. And now I feel like I'm waiting for an executioner as he sort through my mess."_

_ "But he's your best-friend, he says so himself!"_

_ "He is my best-friend, but I can't help but fear him. No Pokémon he come across can't help but fear him. His aura was damaged a long time ago, long before I was even born." _Then Nobark added, _"He's more dangerous than me, Youngin. Very dangerous. People fear him for a reason."_

_ "Not Mark," _said Pikachu. _"Not him, he doesn't fear Tesla. Not even a little."_

_ "Why?"_

_ "His bloodline made sure Tesla won't inflict harm on him. Because Mark is Matt's grandson, and he's Irvin's best-friend, right?"_

_ "Yes."_

Pikachu nodded. _"I don't know what exactly happened, I wasn't there at the time. Emolga told me that Tesla sent her and the Cheering Pokémon to the hospital, and so Mark and his father broke him."_

Nobark said nothing. A lobe sprain in his head, he grabbed his noggin and groaned, _"Urr, damn headaches."_

He took a deep breath and said, _"Well, everyone breaks sooner or later."_

_ "He was taking care of my niece, Volta. Do you know what happened to her?"_

Nobark's eyes bulged open. _"That's what brought him here in the first place, that was how he found out. Yes, I do know. But the memory is buried, all I can say is that I somehow destroyed her life without knowing. I was the one who give the order to assassinate her trainer, which was _before _she became her trainer. You want more details, asked Tesla. I gave the order, someone else did the dirty work."_

_ "Who?" _Mark asked.

Nobark just stared at her. _"This is not the right time to tell you, you'll find out soon enough."_

**. . .**

Tesla got his meal to-go and paid off both his and Smugleaf's meal with the thumbprint scanner. They went back out into Springfield and scouted for stores holding much needed supplies. They found some, though it wasn't that impressive. Most of the stores were small convenience stores, loaded with all sorts of goodies. Most of these goodies were similar in looks, yet the prices were slightly different. Tesla found the same coffee mug in four different stores with four different prices. _Capitalism at its finest, _he thought. Human greed makes people wanna compete with each other, to be better than the other. Of course, greed is good, if one would count out the folks who get the losing end of the stick. Nonetheless, all of the stores held the most basic supplies. Food, bottled-water, shampoo, toothpaste, batteries, tools. There were also clothes, though Tesla wasn't sure if the PRA needed clothes. Coats for winter, sure. There were children sizes available. He made a mental note to pursue that thought later.

While he was marking out the stores, Smugleaf stayed behind him. She ate the biscuits, one by one. Just five minutes after they left the restaurant she had all the biscuits and butter eaten and tossed the take-out container in a trash can. Tesla chuckled.

_"What's so funny?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"Every time my trainer takes his Pokémon out for dinner and gets their meals to-go, they finish them before they get home. You know why?"_

_ "No, why?"_

_ "Cause they can't wait to eat the rest later, much like you with those biscuits."_

Smugleaf said nothing.

_"You want to live a little, right?"_

_ "Yes," _said Smugleaf.

_"Then take note of these stores, you are going to guide Nobark and the PRA to them in the middle of the night for raids. Bring back as much as you can. You are also going to bring Bubbles along. You wanna help her, you better teach her how to defend herself. Maybe even teach her your skills, you got that?"_

Smugleaf nodded. _"Sounds like a plan."_

_ "Wotter better cooperate as well. He beats up insubordinates for power right?"_

_ "Right."_

_ "So teach him how to use it for the common cause. The PRA wants a higher level of status in human society, then he must take care of others. We'll have to force him to think like his past-self somehow, and to do that we gotta get him comfortable."_

_ "How?"_

_ "Same way to get the entire PRA comfortable, restock on much needed supplies. That way they stop thinking about themselves and focus on that major cause Nobark is trying to build up. My best-friend of a Scrafty may be a lost cause but the PRA can live on, assuming it survives human justice."_

They scouted around Springfield for about an hour, then backtracked to the Pokémon Center. He stopped and looked up at the Pokémon Center's modern façade, then asked, _"Has Tendon ever been out?"_

_"Almost never," _said Smugleaf.

_"We'll bring her along for the raid, we'll give her a small posse for the Pokémon Center here. She knows what to get, we'll reward her a keg of beer at the nearby liquor store. Would she like that?"_

_ "She would," _said Smugleaf. _"She'll appreciate it, though she won't show much of it."_

Tesla walked back to the town center for the third time. Smugleaf started slowing down, her legs were buckling from stress. The old Pikachu noticed she was starting to lag behind. Either this Snivy was getting tired or was out of shape. Then again, a Snivy's arms and legs weren't really practical. They were nimble little things, it was amazing they could even walk at all. He stopped and let Smugleaf catch up, she was panting like she had ran a fifty meter dash. _"Are we almost done?" _she asked.

_"Just one more thing," _said Tesla. _"A very important thing."_

_ "What's that?"_

_ "Documentation, you're literate right?"_

_ "Yes, very literate. I read whatever books I can get a hold of."_

_ "How about writing down your thoughts."_

Smugleaf paused for a moment. _"Now that I haven't done in a while."_

_ "Get a journal," _said Tesla. _"Record the daily events, no matter how minor. A conversation you heard, or a project. Put as much detail in it you can, and maybe even write down your past on paper."_

The Grass Snake Pokémon said nothing.

_"Look, I know the subject on Alice is sensitive and you might think nobody would care about your story. But I care, I had a trainer who was caring and loving as yours. I may not like that trainer much, but he was still the most compassionate human being I ever known. Nobark told the story to you, yes."_

Smugleaf nodded.

_"That's a modern legend that everybody tells and retells over and over again. A lot of folks would want to hear your story as well."_

_ "But I have killed-"_

_ "So did I, you don't see anybody complaining about it. Believe me, the world knows that I have committed acts of violence, but that was all part of the legend. I am the Master of Electricity, supposed to be unbeatable. But I'm not immortal, I never was. I was just a puppet being used by a puppeteer."_

Tesla took Smugleaf to the local bookstore. Her eyes lit up. There were posters displaying the latest books that were published. _Thirty percent off, forty percent off for members! _Smugleaf started walking toward the bookstore entrance, but Tesla clamped a hand on her shoulder. _"Do you know what time it is?"_

Smugleaf looked up at the sky, _"Looks like its three or four-oh-clock."_

_ "We have to head back to Fort Wernher. But don't worry, you're going to raid this bookstore here on that special night."_

Smugleaf held her head low, then nodded. _"Okay, I'm getting tired anyway."_

**. . .**

Nobark talked to Mark's Pikachu for a long while. She grew more comfortable with him, then actually started to like him. Most of the conversation went into Pikachu giving Nobark updates in Faraday City. What were current events? How was Matt? How was Emmy? He was surprised to learn of the building tension between Faraday Island and Unova, even more surprised that Tesla contributed to it. Home had moved on, and it sounded like had gotten more advanced. Medical technology improved, maybe he could get his PA treated and his multiple-personality disorder under control.

That thought was interrupted with loud banging on the door. Nobark grabbed his head an got up to answer it. It was Scout.

_"What is it?" _he asked.

The Patrat said, _"We got a trainer with a yellow mouse Pokémon heading towards Carbondale. There's something about them that seemed a little odd."_

_ "Odd eh," _said Nobark. _"Find me a Swoobat and bring it here, I wanna see if we can get contact with this trainer."_

_ "He has friends and other Pokémon, sir."_

_ "Well then, that makes things a little complicated. Doesn't it?"_

_ "Yes, sir. Very complicated."_

Nobark thought about it for a brief second, then gave an order. _"Keep an eye out for Smugleaf, send her here when she gets back. She would make things less complicated for us."_

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	15. Chapter 15

_Chapter 15_

When Tesla and Smugleaf got back to camp, the first thing they did was head back to the elite bunker. Bubbles was gone, the bed was ruffled and empty. She must be somewhere in Fort Wernher doing something. Tesla pulled Smugleaf's knife out of his backpack and handed it back to her. She grabbed it and hugged it for some time before putting the holster back on. The old Pikachu watched as she slumped on her bed face down, falling fast asleep.

He left the elite bunker and headed back to the command bunker. Tesla walked into his room and shoved his backpack under the bed, then went looking for Nobark. He wasn't in his bedroom or the den, in fact he was nowhere in the bunker. Tesla went back outside and found the Scrafty rounding up the PRA around a campfire. He was giving through instructions on something. Despite Nobark's health issues, he was an effective leader. He gave commands and strategy to Pokémon on what to do. He even asked for others' opinion and advice on parts that were sketchy. They sound like they were trying to get something, or someone. Pronouns such as he and it were being thrown around. Tesla tried to eavesdrop but he was too tired, and his mind was occupied on other things.

Eventually the meeting adjourned and the PRA dispersed. Tesla waited till Nobark was alone, then made his approach. "What was that about, Nobark?"

"My plan on something," said Nobark. "Scout found something of interest, I might need your help on it later. Of course, your plan is the top-priority right now. So, what'd yah got?"

"Springfield has several stores loaded with supplies. Smugleaf and I had just got back. Her energy is spent so you best leave her alone till tomorrow."

"Kay, anything else?"

"Yeah," said Tesla. "Where's this Tendon, the medical officer around here?"

"The infirmary," said Nobark. "She only comes out to eat, so most of the time she stays in there. If you got any illness, you better be ready to pay for it."

"Why do you let her _charge _for curing ailments, doesn't she help the sick for the good of all?"

"She used to, until according to her she got tired of not being appreciated. Fifteen years ago I led a raid on Soho, sacked the police station and City Hall. Beforehand I got into contact with Tendon, she was eager to join. I needed new members and a medic was the best I could hope for. So when the raid's underway, I picked her up. She had a sack of medical supplies on her back, ready to go. She had definitely planned ahead."

Nobark stretched his arms and flexed his joints. "She was more youthful back then, professional and lean by Audino standards. But overtime she let herself go. I think that's why she wanted join, she wanted to let herself go."

Tesla said, "We're going to raid Springfield, but more quietly than your raid on Soho all those years back. Bring Tendon with us. There's a Pokémon Center that looks brand new, and so far it looks like it's fully-stocked on supplies. We're going to reward her beer for her efforts."

"She's going to want more than beer."

"Then we'll find something more than beer."

Tesla scanned the base for the infirmary, a fading red-cross painted on a non-descript rectangular bunker caught his eyes. "Look for Bubbles, we'll bring her in on the raid. Smugleaf will handle her for most of it but I want your eyes on her at all times. She doesn't know much about the outside world, we'll need to hold her hand until she can handle herself."

"Okay, I'll go track her down," said Nobark.

"I'll see you later tonight."

As Nobark walked back to the command bunker, Tesla head straight for the infirmary. He approached the front door and pushed it open. A horrid smell of vomit and copper attacked his nose, Tesla blinked as he stepped inside.

Trash was piled up on every available countertop and table. The beds for the sick and injured were bloodstained and greasy. The operating table in the back was covered in dried congealed blood. Tesla made a face He thought Smugleaf's bedroom was a mess but this was a toxic waste dump. The lights were on, a few bulbs were fluttering from age. Tesla made his way passed the empty beer cans and bottles. There was a door at the back labeled _Authorized Personal Only, _he held up a fist and knocked.

Something churned inside. Bottles clattered, beer cans tossed aside. Something broke, sounding like ceramic. Then silence. Tesla waited for a twenty seconds, then thirty, a full minute. He groaned and knocked again.

This time the door opened, Tendon stepped out yawning, apparently rudely waken from a nap. Nobark and Smugleaf were right, she did let herself go. A pot-belly bulged over her groin, her arms, legs, and face filled with flab. Her eyes were puffy, giving her sky-blue eyes a grayer look. She wasn't happy, perhaps she wasn't expecting her services were needed today.

She snorted, _"What do you want?"_

_"You're Tendon?" _Tesla asked.

_"Yup, and apparently you're a Pikachu. Last I saw one was in the medical textbooks, they look smaller and youthful in the pictures." _Tendon scanned Tesla's aging frame._ "To the looks of you, you're recovering from liver poisoning. The scar on your side suggests you had surgery done recently. A liver transplant. I haven't seen one went down in a long time."_

_ "I'm Tesla Westinghouse, I'm Nobark's mentor."_

Tendon smirked. _"Hierarchy, Nobark's still brainwashed to obey your commands?"_

_ "Still is."_

Tendon then frowned and asked. _"So what are you doing bothering me you old fart? You don't look like you need a broken bone mended or an infected limb sawed off."_

_ "There's a raid coming up," _said Tesla. _"A lot of stores are going to be picked clean in Springfield, one of those places will be the Pokémon Center and you're going to raid it yourself."_

_ "What's in it for me," _Tendon asked. _"I know I need some supplies restocked, such as gauze and antibiotics. But I'm not doing this if I don't get something for myself."_

_ "Beer, a keg, maybe a few six-packs."_

Tendon gave him a hard look, she shifted her weight on the other foot and said, _"A lot more than beer."_

_ Figures, _Tesla thought.

This Audino was greedy and selfish, no wonder she left Soho for the PRA. She wanted things for herself, luxury items and what not. But a raid like this where she must do enormous effort, she expects a major reward. But what? Tesla thought quick, and something came to mind. He didn't like it, but Tendon sure might.

_"Well?" _Tendon asked.

_"I got something better than beer," _said Tesla.

_"And what's that?" _

_"Watch."_

Tesla placed his hand on Tendon's belly and jolt a weak charge into her gut. Her eyes bulge open, her legs buckled under her weight. Tesla held it there for a brief second then broke contact. The Audino lost balance toppled on her rear end, her legs kicking toward the ceiling. She panted and grabbed her belly. Sweat was trailing down her neck. She then grabbed her chest, her heart-rate had shot through the roof. She looked up at the old Pikachu, elated. The dark bags over her eyes were gone, nothing but sky-blue marbles.

Tendon asked,_ "How did you do that?" _

_"I can take control of anyone's central nervous system," _said Tesla. _"Both humans and Pokémon alike. If you want a climax, then you better carry your own weight and go on this raid. You can do more than fix Pokémon, I can see that in your eyes."_

Her eyes went dark again, but not as dark as before. Tendon thought for a moment, then asked, _"Can you sustain it?"_

_ "You can have Woody build you a machine that can, I have the diagram memorized. You won't even need my electricity to turn you on, you can just plug it into the wall and BAM, you're on a roll."_

Tendon got back to her feet, she grabbed the door frame and held herself up. _"Okay, I'll go. Heck, I need to clean up my inventory anyway. Holler me if you and Nobark are ready."_

_ "I will," _said Tesla.

_"Remember, if you need anything treated come and find me."_

She gave Tesla a wink, he chuckled. _"Okay, I'll see you later."_

The Audino cracked a weak smile, though it wasn't the same as one from a Pokémon Center. _"Yeah," _she said. _"See yah."_

Tendon shut the door. Tesla pressed his ear against it and heard Tendon slumping to the floor, moaning in pleasure. _"That was so much better than a BJ or the real thing," _he heard her muttered under her breath.

_With her docile, _Tesla thought. _I might get a lot of info out of her for Pinki, but I better not force it, or she will never talk. _

Tesla turned around and left the infirmary, he looked up at the sky. The sun was getting close to the horizon. Daylight was fading. There were still some more things to see. For example, he wanted to check out the conscript barracks. Since most of the PRA looked like bums, he wanted to get a sense of how they were living.

Tesla didn't have to look that hard. He saw Pokémon with matted furs walking through a door to a small, yet wide building. The old Pikachu took an occasional glance around himself to see if anyone was watching. He saw none. He approached the barracks and stepped up to the doorway, he opened the door and stepped inside.

The only lights burning were kerosene lamps, all the ceiling lights had no power. There were also no windows, just tiny holes crudely chiseled into the concrete. The place smelled like thick gasoline, stale farts, and fermenting body sweat. Pokémon no taller than him lay on wooden bunk beds. Some were sitting on the ground, chatting to each other. Others were playing card games. Tesla squinted, they could be playing Go-Fish. He saw one Pokémon, an Axew to the looks of it, sleeping on the concrete floor. Its mouth gaped open, snoring away. Tesla closed the door and stepped up.

All activity ceased. The Pokémon playing Go-Fish stopped their cards. The sleeping Pokémon were shaken awake. Pokémon who were talking went silent. All eyes stared at the Mouse Pokémon, and he stared back.

After a moment of brief silence, they all stood in attention as if they were in the army. Well, this was indeed a militia, it was a _private _army. Then again, they don't look like they were faring well. They look sick, malnourished. Weak. Tesla had seen that look before, he used to be them.

One Pokémon, a small Joltik, approached. He looked familiar. Tesla raised an eyebrow and asked in Pokémon speech, _"Have we met before?"_

_ "We did," _said the Joltik. _"Remember being locked in that cage by the poachers?"_

_ "Rings a bell, your trainer was killing off my descendants."_

The Joltik leaped up and Tesla caught him with his hands. _"It's good to see you again, Tesla."_

_ "I see my best-friend is taking good care of you."_

_ "I've been handling myself actually. We all are, Nobark gives us little support besides MREs."_

Tesla looked back at the PRA. They took a step back, fearing for their safety.

The old Pikachu let the Joltik go and turned back to the PRA. _"If there's an Emolga here who was once owned by a trainer named Cabot Richardson, step forward."_

No response.

_"Well?"_

The PRA looked at each other, a few in the back whispered among each other. Tesla turned back to the Joltik. _"Where is he?"_

_ "Restrooms, in the back. He's hiding."_

_ "No one hides from me."_

The ceiling lights came on, maybe for the first time in years. It was rusty at first. A few bulbs fluttered and crackled while some failed to come on at all. Nonetheless, there were enough florescent tubes in working condition to light up the bunker. Tesla marched through the crowd, they all jumped aside to clear a path. The Joltik gleefully followed behind. Tesla kicked aside plastic wrappers, beer cans, and crumpled aluminum foil as he made his way to the restroom. The tiles were covered with brown and black mold and it smelled like boiled cabbage. The sinks were rusty, the toilets were filthy. Some of the stall doors were broken, others were missing. Tesla opened a stall door, there was no water in the toilet. He pressed down on the lever and got no response.

Among the smell of mold and rot was the faint scent of an Emolga, Tesla followed it. It quickly got stronger as it led to a closed stall door. The Joltik crawled underneath the door and said, _"Its okay, you can come out."_

Two furry feet and a white belly appeared, the stall door unlocked and swung open. There stood Cabot's Emolga. He wasn't as athletic as he once was. Whatever muscle he had left was replaced with skin and ribs. His eyes were baggy like Tendons. But they were soft, not cold-hearted. The Emolga held up its tiny hands, its voice caught in fright.

Tesla asked, _"What happened?"_

_ "W-What happened?" _Emolga asked back, confused.

He grabbed Emolga by the collarbone and dragged him out of the stall, then propped him on the sink. The Sky Squirrel Pokémon whimpered in fear. Tesla said, _"The police report says you were kidnapped, your Poké ball destroyed. Cabot was laying on the ground filled with holes, so who was it?"_

_ "Nobark," _said Emolga. _"It was Nobark."_

_ "No sh*t it was him, but he ordered it. Do you know who executed it?"_

Emolga said nothing.

Tesla grabbed his tail and yanked him off the sink, he hit his head on the ground and yelped. _"Did they warned you not to say a word about it!?" _Tesla asked.

Emolga nodded, his eyes tearing up.

_"How about I drain your body from every millimeter of electricity you have?"_

_ "No, please don't! I was the victim in all this!"_

_ "Victim!? You could have run from this sh*thole but you've stayed, how were you a victim!?"_

_ "Nobark doesn't like deserters!"_

_ "And I don't like cowards."_

Tesla grabbed Emolga's cheeks and pulled. Bright yellow electricity flushed out of Emolga and ground into Tesla's arms. The Sky Squirrel Pokémon screamed, then called for help.

_"The PRA won't help you," _said Tesla. _"Even if they march in here and try to save you, your guts would be painted all over this wall by then. Now who the f*ck kidnapped you and brought misery to Volta!"_

Emolga said nothing.

Tesla threw him into the wall. The tiles cracked upon impact, Emolga sobbed a waterfall of tears as he feverishly covered his face.

_"Who!?" _Tesla barked.

_ "Smugleaf and Wotter," _said Emolga. _"Part of Nobark's Inner Circle!"_

_ "Let me guess, was it Wotter who beat you into silence?"_

_ "Yes," _Emolga wiped his face and collapsed on the floor. _"Please, have mercy! I beg you!"_

_ "Tesla!" _cried a voice.

Tesla looked up, his eyes bulged. Standing near the door was Mark's Pikachu. She looked terrified, scared out of her mind. She held her pose for a moment, then rushed up to Tesla and hugged him. _"Oh, Tesla, please help me!"_

_ "Mark's here?" _he asked.

_"Yes, Nobark locked him and the others up. But he let me out. I'm scared, I don't know what to do." _Then she asked, _"What are you doing to this poor Emolga?"_

_ "A Dewott named Wotter kept him silent, I have to break him to spill the beans," _Tesla shrugged. _"But of course, he'd just confirmed what I already knew."_

The Emolga coughed and wheezed, then he uttered, _"Wotter did something to me, something wrong."_

Tesla helped Cabot's Emolga up. The Sky Squirrel could barely stand on its feet. Mark's Pikachu rushed up and held the Emolga's other arm and asked, _"What did he do?"_

He held his head low and sniffled, Tesla held up his chin and spoke in a calmer voice, _"What did Wotter do to you?"_

_ "When I first got to Fort Wernher, he pulled me to a secluded spot and forced me to bend over, then he stuck his pee-pee in my butt."_

Tesla squint his eyes and looked away. Wotter definitely changed, he was worse than he actually looked. _"I'm sorry," _the old Pikachu said. _"I'm sorry I was rough on you."_

_ "Tesla, please," _Mark's Pikachu pleaded. _"The girls! Mark! Help!"_

Tesla turned to his great-granddaughter. _"Let's get out of this barracks, we'll go somewhere private. I need you to explain what happened and how it all went down, okay?"_

She nodded. _"Yes, okay. I can do that."_

_ "Is she related to you?" _Emolga asked.

_"My great-granddaughter, Volta's aunt. And no, she's not available," _Tesla took Mark's Pikachu by the hand then turned to the Joltik. _"Get Emolga to the infirmary, tell Tendon I'll pay her back."_

Joltik nodded. _"Yes sir, I will!"_

**. . .**

Mark groaned and felt his head, there was a little swelling where the blow had hit him. He couldn't remember what happened, all he remembered was turning off his heartbeat sensor and then everything blacked out. He looked at his Pokédex, it still seemed to be in working condition.

He sat up and glanced around the room. It was a concrete cell, a _very _small cell. Mark could almost touch opposite walls with both hands. There was a concrete bed, which what he was laying on. It wasn't the most comfortable thing he had ever slept on but it was better than sleeping on the ground. At the corner was a raised concrete block with a hole in it. The hole was slightly smaller than a dinner plate. That must be the toilet, Mark guessed. Above him was a window, fitted with thick iron bars. Mark stood up and tried to peak through it. He was lean and tall, but the window was still a little too high for his 192cm frame. He dropped down and grabbed what was left of his trimmed hair, then kicked the concrete toilet.

_I'm f*cked, _he thought. _I'm so f*cked._

Not only did he let himself got captured, his Pokémon were gone. Mark checked his pockets. They were empty. Even his wallet was gone. His knife and pistol were taken, and so was his Pokémon. Where were they? Where had they gone? Mark turned toward the door, it was a steel door. It was rusted from age, maybe from high humidity. There was a single door lock and two deadbolts. No keyholes. Mark pressed his hand against the metal surface. Solid-core, maybe filled with high quality steel.

Then the deadbolts latched open, Mark quickly set back down on the bed and watched as it swing outward.

A Scrafty appeared before him, his eye was cloudy and an arm was shaking hard. He looked terrible, sick. Maybe mentally ill. But this was definitely the Scrafty he had seen in the photos, this was Nobark Westinghouse.

"What did you do with my Pokémon?" Mark blurted out.

"They're elsewhere," said Nobark. "I locked them up in other cells, but your Pikachu is wondering around the base. They're fine."

Mark just stared at him, Nobark raised an eyebrow, "Surprised I can speak human?"

"No, I watched the videos back in your prime. You're definitely what I expected to find."

Nobark nodded. "Your Matt's grandson alright, you act just like him when he was your age and so does your father. From what your Pikachu told me you seemed to be keeping Irvin's methods alive."

"This is Fort Wernher alright, so why am I in a cell?"

"You're a loose cannon, you trespassed into Soho and stirred up the police. Thanks to you, your other friends were kicked out. This Ash character and his own Pikachu."

Mark blinked, surprised.

Nobark continued, "Scout, a Patrat of mine, was passing by when he saw Chief Hattricks kicked Ash and his buddies out. They're either at Carbondale or Springfield, depending on what suits them better." Nobark added, "Tesla's here, unlike you he just walked in here like he owned the place. But Swoobats raised the alarm when they spotted you, but it gave them a good mind-f*ck when they spotted Tesla. He was an unfamiliar Pokémon to them, so he had more luck in coming here."

"What did he do?"

Nobark cringed. "He beat the sh*t out of me to see which part of me knew about what happened to his great-great-granddaughter. I have multiple personality disorder, he was cycling through them all pretty much."

Mark nodded. "That explains the essays I found under your bed at Irvin's farm, they have multiple different handwritings on them."

Nobark raised an eyebrow. "The farm is still there?"

"Yes, it's still there. But it was cleaned out, all I could find was those essays under your rock of a bed and the USB sticks and journals in Irvin's trunk. Nothing there but ghosts."

"Ghosts?"

"Yes, ghosts. Your dead friends still haunt the place, doors were opening and closing by themselves, footsteps in the attic, crying in the bathroom. Then there was a gunshot in the backyard. But there was _nobody _there, not a soul except the smell of gunpowder and blood."

Nobark's eyes bulged open. "The gunshot in the backyard . . . Irvin had to put down some of his Pokémon. He used a pistol, is that what you heard."

"Yes, a pistol. Maybe a .45 or a 9mm, cause it was _loud."_

".357, he used a .357 magnum," Nobark gripped his head and groaned. "Tesla put down several Pokémon himself. Irvin was emotional about it but not Tesla, he was cold as ice when he does the euthanizations. I remember him putting down Flashlight, Irvin's own Emolga. Oh damn, the poor thing's belly was split open by a stump of a treebranch. It was bad, it was really bad!"

"It was recorded on video," said Mark. "Irvin had you do it, but you couldn't. Tesla was the one who shot him."

"Yes, that's what happened." Then Nobark asked, "How much digital files did you get?"

"I got everything I could find out of the USB sticks," said Mark. "I made several copies and brought some with me, along with your essays."

"Tesla had brought them along in a Red Cross bag. By now he should know you're here, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you out."

"Why?"

"Cause he was the one who put you in here."

Mark gripped his head and kicked the toilet again. "Motherf*cker!"

Nobark chuckled. "See what I'm saying?"

"Oh wait until I get my hands on that little runt!"

"You're not afraid of him?" Nobark asked.

"Afraid!? I'm pissed! He's the God of Lightning, sure. But he put my Pokémon in the hospital when we first met! Aside from my Pikachu, she wasn't there when it happened."

Nobark leaned against the door frame and nodded. "She told me something about that, she said you and Tesla liked to get under each other's skins."

"Probably for our own amusement, I thought I had the upper hand. Being Matt's grandson, he won't strike me dead. And having his great-granddaughter under my care, made sure he acted a little nice when I'm around. He may be one powerful son-of-a-b*tch, but I broke him. I put a bullet in his arm and my dad put a bullet in his leg cause his outlaw bullsh*t had gone on long enough. So we got him his f*cking pardon from the Faraday government and my dad got the f*cking bounty out of it. Now he's the Chief of the FCPD, we got a lot out of that mess."

Nobark nodded. "Okay, that's all I needed to know."

"What?" Mark asked.

The next thing Mark knew was the door slamming shut. Mark leaped up and started pounding his fist on the steel door, the thick steel muted his bangs to mere _puts. _"Damn it, Nobark! Just where the f*ck is my Pokémon, you better not hurt them! Where are they!?"

No response.

"Damn y'all!"

Mark kicked the door and slumped back on the concrete bed. _Damn y'all._

**. . .**

Tesla sat her beside him in the den. She told him about how Mark got into Soho, then got arrested, then how he broke out of custody. She told her how Mark got new clothes and how he bought new hardware. His great-granddaughter teared up when she told him how they got captured, and how Nobark took interest in her. Tesla occasionally nod and stroke her head, trying to put out as much affection out as possible. But it didn't seem to do any good. She was too distraught, broken-hearted. Then suddenly she asked, _"Do you like me?"_

_ "Of course I like you," _said Tesla.

_"You sure?"_

_ "Yes I'm sure, why?"_

Mark's Pikachu looked up at him. _"Cause you don't like Mark."_

Tesla shrugged. _"It's not that I don't like him, it's because he gets on my nerves. Right now he had just gotten you all in trouble with the law and I'm sure his father wouldn't be happy if he hears about this."_

_ "They can't be that harsh!" _she insisted.

_"Why shouldn't they? Mark incapacitated two cops, Soho won't forget that. Governments never forget."_

_ "He was protecting me and the girls!"_

_ "That doesn't mean he should assault people."_

His great-granddaughter pouted. _"You killed those poachers back in Soho to save me!"_

_ "That was different," _said Tesla. _"Those were poachers who were breaking the law. Soho cops on the other hand _are _the law, according to their standards. What Mark did in the middle of the woods was one thing, but what he did in Soho is downright foolish. I would've reprimanded him even if he was my own child."_

Mark's Pikachu just stared at him. _"Whose side are you on?"_

_ "What do you mean by side, exactly? There are different parties who want a slice of the pie. The Soho PD, Rex Anderson, your Mark Kissinger, Ash Ketchum, and the PRA. Right at this minute I am my own party, this is not the time to choose sides."_

Pikachu shook her head. _"You don't understand, do you? You've been hostile to everyone since ever! Nobark, that Emolga, and Mark. You showed little compassion for others besides me and Volta! What is wrong with you, Tesla? I barely recognize you."_

_ Oh crap, _Tesla thought. _It's like Volta all over again._

Tesla asked, _"Now just why are you upset? Is this more than Mark and I or is something else bothering you?"_

Mark's Pikachu's eyes flickered, he saw that he had turned the tables. She looked away, ashamed. _"What is it, sweetheart?"_

_ "I love Mark, dearly. I really love him, as a mate."_

_ "I know that, it's natural for a Pokémon to have that kind of love with a trainer of the opposite sex."_

_ "It's something about it, I asked Mark for . . . something."_

_ "What is it?" _Tesla asked.

She looked up at him, her eyes glazed. _"Would you please not tell anyone, and please don't be too mad."_

_ "Just what is it, Pikachu?"_

Mark's Pikachu leaned forward and whispered into his ear. _"I asked him to play with . . . a certain area of mine."_

Tesla felt like he got hit with the stupid, at first he didn't know what she was talking about but it came to mind in seconds. He chuckled, sat back and broke out laughing.

_"What's so funny?" _Mark's Pikachu asked.

_"I'm not surprised, I was expecting you to persuade Mark to pull that stunt sooner or later."_

_ "What?"_

_ "You're a Dixierat, but more importantly my Polly bore your grandparents and parents. She was like that. Greedy, seeking pleasure. She was crazily in love with me as much as you are to Mark. It's all in the family, there's nothing to be worried about."_

_ "The girls watched him do it."_

_ "And do they give a f*ck?"_

Mark's Pikachu thought for a moment. _"Well, no-"_

_ "Then don't worry about it," _said Tesla. _"I would have done the same for you if you have asked."_

Mark's Pikachu laughed, weakly. Tesla hugged her and kissed her forehead. _"Look, I'm upset from what happened to Volta. That's why I've been moody. You were only dealing with this kind of sh*t for a week, I was dealing with this for decades. That is what's wrong with me."_

Pikachu paused for a second._"I'm scared, Tesla, about Mark. Just why did you have Nobark lock him up."_

_ "You've seen his temper?" _

_"Yeah."_

_ "Would you like it if he took it out on you?"_

Mark's Pikachu frantically shook her head. _"No, of course not! I would be sick to my stomach and feeling helpless."_

_ "If I were to let Mark out, he's going to kill any Pokémon who stands between you and him. As long as Nobark himself don't blow up, he will be fine."_

_ "You promise?" _she asked.

_"I can promise sooner or later he's going to get his ass kicked while he's in that cell. As long as Nobark doesn't lose control of himself, Mark will be fine, otherwise we would all be in deep sh*t."_

They went on to talk about other things. Most of the time Tesla did the talking, Mark's Pikachu just listened. He told her about his childhood, and how great his parents and siblings were. He explained that even though he had been a Pichu longer than he should, those twenty estimate years of his life were the best. It was a great way to start off living. Mark's Pikachu asked certain questions, like how did they act. Tesla explained that they were no different from the Dixierats. _"Back then I was just like you," _he said. _"Like your own immediate family and cousins. Things were a lot fun back then. But every time I thought back at it, I wondered to myself why none of us knew much about the outside world." _He went on to explain how his family's lack of knowledge of current affairs had contributed to their separation. Had they known the poachers were coming, they might had gotten away.

_"But if that moment didn't happen, I wouldn't exist," _said Mark's Pikachu. _"And Bruiser, Ray, Volta, maybe even Mark. We owe our existence to you."_

_ "True," _said Tesla. _"I'm so old that even if that moment didn't happen they would've been dead by now. And thinking about it more I might haven't live as long as I did. So why does it still hurt after all these years?"_

The door to the den opened and Nobark stepped through, breaking Tesla's concentration of thought. "You're right," the Scrafty said in human speech. "Mark's a loose cannon, he'd just exploded into rage about you and him pissing each other off."

"It's a love/ hate relationship," said Tesla. "I personally don't have anything against him, he's just mad that I sent his Pokémon to the Pokémon Center. Even though they had forgave me about it."

"Speaking of those Pokémon, you wanna let them out?"

Mark's Pikachu turned to him. _"Please! Let the girls out!"_

Tesla said, "Yes, let them out. But keep Smugleaf and Wotter away from them, or it will be _your _ass that would have to pay."

Nobark gulped. "Of course, I'll make sure they don't even lay a hand on them."

Tesla took Pikachu by the hand. _"Come on, let's release your friends and confront Mark. There are some things I need to be made clear."_

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	16. Chapter 16

_Chapter 16_

Bubbles listened to Woody talk for hours, even watched him as he put things together and fix machinery. The Timburr was strange without his wooden pole, but he still looked natural with a hammer and a wrench. His voice sounded beautiful. Clear, loud tone. Not even a little dull. She had the urge to hug him but fought back, as she felt it wasn't appropriate. The Muscular Pokémon pointed out that Nobark had concentrated most of the resources to his inner circle, while giving the scraps to the insubordinates. _"Smugleaf, Wotter, me, and Tendon make up the inner circle," _he says. _"We get all the good stuff, but to tell you the truth there ain't much good stuff anymore. I have power running through this building. Sure. But the lightbulbs need replacing and we don't have the resources for them."_

_ "Why?" _Bubbles asked.

Woody fixed the screw on the radio in place, then sat down his screwdriver. _"Our supplier dried up, that's why. Now we're living off of whatever we can scrounge up. This raid I've been hearing on Springfield could have been organized by Nobark alone if he wasn't so deep into his own problems."_

Woody reached up and turned on the portable radio, it started playing music. He smiled, his heart warming up. _"Hot damn, I haven't heard this baby squawk in a long time. Tesla's batteries were a blessing, I have never been so grateful. And now he's getting Nobark's act together and we're all going to get much needed sh*t!"_

Bubbles glanced at the clock. _"It's getting late, I better go. It was nice talking to you, Woody."_

_ "Nice talking to you, it's good to meet new folks for once."_

Bubbles got up and left the warehouse. The sun was almost toward the horizon. She quickly jogged back toward the elite bunker. She cracked the door open and peaked in to see if Wotter was inside, he wasn't there. She quickly ran in and into Smugleaf's room. The Snivy herself was sleeping face down on the bed. She looked exhausted, and interestingly enough she smelled . . . different. Among the stale farts and trash of the bedroom, she smelled like shampoo and bar soap. Cinnamon apples or something? Bubbles got up on the bed and laid down next to her, the Grass Snake Pokémon unconsciously wrapped her arms around her and pulled her in. This time Bubbles didn't resist, she simply let Smugleaf hug her. Though the bed still smelled bad and feel greasy, at least she didn't. Was it that Mouse Pokémon guy who cleaned her up? Bubbles thought about waking her to ask, but she didn't wanna be rude. That could wait till tomorrow. She closed her eyes and yawned, then wrapped her arms around Smugleaf and fell asleep.

**. . .**

Smugleaf couldn't help but smile. The bath and teeth-brushing had paid off. Bubbles wasn't so resistive as the other night. Now only if she would get the trash removed things would be a whole lot better.

_Well that's the plan, _she thought.

The Grass Snake Pokémon extend a vine and turned off the lights, then dozed back off to sleep.

**. . .**

The Pokémon jail of Fort Wernher reminded Tesla of a third-world region. The walls were bleeding rust and water damage. The concrete façade was crumbling. The floor had some sort of muck covering it. The intimidating cells smelled like earth and mold. Tesla thought the barracks restroom was bad but this was horrifying. His great-granddaughter stayed behind him, trying her best not to sob. Nobark led the two Mouse Pokémon down the corridor. They passed several steel doors. The chrome sheen they used to have was flaked away, slowly being replaced with iron and rust. Despite their decaying skin, Tesla was convinced they were design to hold Pokémon. This base must have been built before force fields were invented.

The Hoodlum Pokémon approached one cell door and lifted the horizontal bar, then pulled it open. Tesla looked inside. Mark's Emolga sat at the corner, softly crying to herself. She was a mess. Her fur looked matted. Her feet were dirty. Dirt clung to her white fur, a sign she was dragged. The Sky Squirrel Pokémon got up on her hind legs and ran toward Tesla. She spread out her hands, mud was caked to her gliders. _"I need a bath," _she whined. _"I need a bath!"_

_ "Are you okay, Emolga?" _Tesla asked.

_"No, I'm filthy and Mark is missing!"_

Tesla turned to Nobark. "What happened to her?"

_ "She tripped in a puddle of mud," _said Nobark. _"She wouldn't stop complaining about it."_

He walked over to the opposite door and opened it, Plusle ran out and clutched Tesla. _"Minun, where's Minun!?"_

Nobark opened another cell, Minun crawled out. She spotted Plusle and ran for her. The two Cheering Pokémon cried as they hugged each other dearly.

"Shut up," Nobark hissed in human speech. "All of you!"

The Cheering Pokémon went quiet.

Tesla placed a hand on Nobark's shoulder. "Nobark, easy."

Nobark blinked and looked at him. "That slipped out?"

"Yup."

"It sounded like it was inside by head."

"No, it wasn't."

The Hoodlum Pokémon gripped his head. "Oh great, another headache," he groaned. "Ohh this feels worse than the one this morning."

"What's causing it?" Tesla asked.

"The personalities are the usual subject, I wasn't having these headaches during Irvin's time. It started ever since I first left Faraday City. It must be all that thinking that screwed my lobes up. I was stressed out, every part of me was stressed out."

"Did you get a hold of the plasma gun, Nobark?" Tesla asked.

Nobark scratched his head. "I remembered luging around a Team Rocket weapons crate with me when leaving Faraday Island. Was the crate spray-painted black?

"All of Team Rocket's sh*t is spray-painted black."

"With the classic R logo?"

"Yes, they smack that on all their sh*t too."

Nobark thought some more. "I think one of my personalities decided to bring it along. I was depressed at the time, I couldn't remember most of the trip from A to B. I remember hiding on-board of a cargo ship bound for Unova, but I don't remember getting on or off. All I remember was walking, carrying _something. _The only thing I sure was carrying was my AK-47, but that was on my back. I knew I had something _else. _I just never figured out what it was."

Tesla was tired of playing this game. Whenever Nobark did something, he wouldn't remember parts of it. According to him he somehow found objects in his pelt. Usually beer and Poké porn. One time when Irvin called him out to battle, he toppled over and spilled more than a dozen issues of Poké porn subscription all over the gym floor. The whole crowd laughed, even Irvin laughed. With his face red as a cherry, Nobark scooped up the magazines and stuffed them back into his pelt. Just when he picked up the last magazine, Furball – Irvin's mutt of a Lilipup – charged in and swiped the magazine out of Nobark's hands with his teeth. Nobark exploded in shock, went chasing Furball all over the gym, dropping magazines along the way. Everybody was laughing so hard some guy in the back seized up and collapsed and an ambulance had to be brought in. Having seen enough, Tesla left the gym and Matt took him home. Irvin later said that the match ended with a draw. Nobark himself was shame-faced for a week, seemingly arguing to himself on why the Poké porn was in his pelt in the first place.

_And now I'm playing this game again, _Tesla thought. _Who brought what and why._

Tesla asked, "Any idea why you would bring the plasma gun?"

"Power maybe," said Nobark. "I always felt secure, just having that around made me feel safe since it can take on whatever you aim it at."

"But only I can give it its punch."

"I try not to think of that, it still works for a normalelectric-type."

"Right, a _normal _electric-type. Nobark, if that weapon gets into the wrong hands there's going to be a slaughter. You better know that."

Mark's Emolga tugged his arm. _"I need a bath, Tesla."_

"There's no running water here," said Nobark. "And even if there was, there's no soap."

"I brought some soap with me," said Tesla.

"It won't do you any good here."

Tesla took Emolga by the arm. "Okay," he said. "I'll take it over from here, Nobark. You need to get some rest."

"You sure you can handle Mark alone?" Nobark asked.

"I have some leverage, he won't dare lay a hand on me while his Pokémon are present."

Nobark nodded. "Goodnight, Tesla. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Sleep well, old friend."

**. . .**

Tesla led Mark's Pokémon toward the human jail. Again, it was a nondescript concrete building aside from the bars over the windows, and the crude human figurine painted over the front door. The old Pikachu stopped before it and turned to Mark's Pokémon. _"There are some rules I need you guys to follow."_

_ "Oh?" _says Emolga.

_"First, no talking. None of you speak. Do not cry. Do not even whine. If Mark speaks to you, do not respond. Do not even _look _at him in the eye. If you violate those simple rules while he is in the pen, I will slam that cell door on his face and lock all of you back up in the Pokémon jail, with no dinner or bed to sleep in for the night."_

_ "Why?" _Mark's Pikachu whined.

_"Because Mark is in deep trouble, that's why. If he had gotten here before me, do you even know what Nobark could do to him?"_

Mark's Pokémon said nothing.

_"Do you!?"_

Mark's Pikachu asked, _"Whose side are you on?"_

_ "Yeah," _said Plusle. _"Whose side are you on, you sound like you're siding with Nobark."_

_ "I'm not siding with Nobark," _said Tesla. _"Or at least the part that is making y'all suffer that is. Look, I don't know how Mark treats you guys but I can tell you that what we're facing right now, is the direct opposite. You want to get out of this mess, you have to know that the monster within Nobark must be defeated. The only way to do that is to keep Nobark docile or he will explode, and that would be the end of Mark and all of us."_

_ "You're mean," _Minun grumbled.

Tesla grabbed Minun by the fur over her collarbone and pulled her in, Mark's other Pokémon gasped and stepped back. _"If you want Mark to live, you best keep your comments to yourself. There's a Dewott here named Wotter that would violate every part of your body if you show weakness. I don't know about the other PRA conscripts, but what I do know is that if Nobark ordered Mark to be killed, Wotter would do the actual killing. No one else, not even Nobark himself, would do such a thing." _Tesla dropped Minun on the ground, then added, _"Just a reminder, I'm pissed right now. I'm not as nice when pissed. Mark just messed with something he shouldn't have been messing with and you guys shouldn't be dealing with it all. I'm doing what I can, but note that you're not going to get anything you ever hope for. Do I make myself clear?"_

Minun nodded. She crawled up to Plusle, cuddling each other for dear life as their eyes begged mercy.

_"No talking. No eye-contact. Just listen to what Mark has to say."_

The old Pikachu opened the door and stepped into the jail, Mark's Pokémon followed behind him. The corridor was exactly the same design as the Pokémon jail, however there were deadbolts and knobs instead of horizontal bars. Only one door appeared locked, Tesla unlocked it and pushed the door open.

Mark was lying on the concrete cot. He looked different. His clothes were olive green and his hair was mostly shaved off. He looked like a hick from this sticks, an amateur militiaman all crazy about guns. Mark Kissinger sat up. He was a little fast, his arms went do defensive postures but relaxed when he realized who it was. "Tesla," he cried. "Oh I'm so glad to see you!"

Tesla said nothing.

The initial glee subsided, replaced with a confused expression. "Tesla," he asked, then he turned to Emolga. "Emolga? Baby, are you okay?"

Doing as she was told, she said nothing. After a moment of silence, Tesla said. "You're in deep sh*t, Mark. You are really stupid."

"What?" Mark asked.

"You got yourself wanted by the law and your Pokémon in trouble, and now Nobark has nailed you down. Shame on you."

"He said you were the one who locked me up!"

"I did you f*cking favor, if you had got here before I did there was no telling what Nobark would do to you. Nobark had Cabot killed, the Dewott and the Snivy were the ones who done it. From what Nobark told me, it was the Dewott who dragged your ass into this cell. And if Nobark decides to kill you, it would be the Dewott who would do the executing."

"But you have strong influence over Nobark," Mark noted.

"To an extent," said Tesla." He's a time-bomb, Mark. You just shortened his fuse by just showing up, you should have stayed at one of the nearby towns and waited for me."

"I was wanted by-"

"Chief Hattricks dropped the charges," said Tesla, "I persuaded him to."

That was mostly a lie than truth, but Mark bought it. "For assaulting two arresting officers and evading arrest," he asked. "How could he have let it go?"

"Because he knows you'll wound up at Fort Wernher, where the PRA would do things more badly than a court of law."

Mark turned back toward Emolga. "Are you okay, baby girl?"

Again, Emolga said nothing.

"Emolga, please!"

Still nothing

He turned back to the old Mouse Pokémon. "What did they do to them, Tesla?"

"The PRA scared the living sh*t out of them," he said. "I told Nobark how you got here, and he used that to get into their heads. And yes, he touched them, but it wasn't any bad or inappropriate touches."

Mark shot up and pound his fist on the concrete wall. "That bastard, that motherf*cking bastard! Just wait till I get my hands on him, I'll-"

"Do you even have a plan to handle Nobark?" Tesla interrupted.

Mark squeezed his eyes shut, he pressed his forehead against the wall and groaned. Tesla turned back to his Pokémon. Their eyes were tearing up, yet they held back their cries. Emolga stepped away and walked out of sight. Tesla's great-granddaughter just stood there, staring at the floor. The Cheering Pokémon cradled each-others arms, their heads pressing against each other like they were praying to Ho-Oh to bring their nightmare to an end. "No," Mark said calmly. "I don't have a plan."

He turned back to Tesla and asked, "What does Nobark says about me being in here?"

"You step out, you get killed, then your Pokémon would be absorbed into the Pokémon Resistance army where they would either be turned into savages or treated as personal toys. Not all Pokémon are equal, Mark."

"Can you get my Pokémon out of here?"

"They leave, you get executed. I managed to convince Nobark to turn them loose. Loose, but not free. As of right now, they're under my command and I have the power to enforce it. Whether you like it or not."

Mark frowned. "You dick."

"You brought them into this, Mark. It's your fault, as long as I'm around they will not speak to you. Period. If they even get caught under that window right there, you will be a dead man walking.

By habit, he reached up and try to grab whatever left of his hair. Only to find barely a stubble left. "Ohhh . . . sh*t, all this in just one day!" He then shot a look at Tesla, and said, "I hope you know what you're doing."

Tesla nodded. "You better be patient. I don't know how long you will be in there, but I'll let you out when the time is right. The Swoobats are monitoring everything in and around Fort Wernher, they're keeping an eye on you. If you were to get a foot out this door, they will raise the alarm and that will be the last thing you will ever hear."

"Just don't get my Pokémon killed. You already took my Magnetite, I can't afford to lose anymore Pokémon."

"You're the one who has the greater chance of getting killed, Mark. You're human. The PRA _hates _humanity."

Mark shook his head. "It's not hate, Tesla. _You _hate humanity. Nobark and the PRA don't. This is about civil rights, not supremacy."

"How would you know about equal rights?"

Mark groaned. "Because I treated _my _Pokémon as human beings, I gave them more love and affection than you ever gave your friends and family!"

He slumped on his concrete and laid back. "Shut that f*cking door, I'm done hearing your voice!"

**. . .**

Tesla and Mark's Pokémon stepped out of the human jail. There was an odd silence among them, they're not normally quiet. They head to the command bunker and walked back in the den. Just when Tesla shut the door behind them, Mark's Pikachu broke the silence. _"Just why do you even hate Mark?"_

_ "That is a long story," _said Tesla. _"But it didn't happen overnight."_

It actually did happened overnight, but Mark's Pokémon didn't need to know that. Plusle asked,_ "Is there anything we could do?" _

_"Technically there is, do what Nobark and I say and the PRA will stay docile."_

Emolga shook her head. _"I'm hungry."_

_ "There are MRE's packed away in that fridge right there, along with bottled-water. If there's anything yummy, don't trust it. Anything that can spoil is spoiled, and you will get sick if you eat it."_

_ "I wanna go home," _Minun whined.

Tesla turned to Minun. _"Then leave, the PRA isn't forcing you to stay. This isn't none of your business after all."_

Mark's Pokémon said nothing.

Tesla sighed, then sat down on the couch. _"I'm sorry. Nobark's my best-friend, but he's sick and he's not going to recover. He's dying. He may not look like it but he's breaking down. When he crosses that point of insanity, there is nothing more any of us can do. He's a dead Pokémon that hadn't dropped yet."_

_ "What are you going to do?" _Emolga asked.

Tesla said nothing.

_"Can you keep Mark safe?"_

_ "Could I? I know by fact that Nobark himself wouldn't lay a hand on him. But the Dewott, Wotter, will do the deed. Hard to believe he used to be like you guys, until his trainer turned on him."_

_ "What happened?" _Mark's Pikachu asked.

_"Had an accident in battle, so his trainer tortured him with salt before selling him to Team Rocket for cash. Nobark broke him out, then later recruited him to the PRA. The two are good friends and Wotter's loyalty lay with him. You guys stay away from him, I'll try to protect you guys if you can't avoid a confrontation but I can't be your guardian angel a hundred percent of the time." _Tesla's thoughts then turned to Smugleaf, he added, _"The Snivy is just like you, and in some ways she still is. Her trainer was killed by a wild Pokémon, it stirred her crazy. She may be nice but she had some urges that I want you to take note. She's just like Wotter now. More kinder, but the end result is the same."_

_ "So stay away from her and the Dewott?" _Emolga asked.

Tesla nodded. _"Yes, stay away from them both. If you don't, you will be violated and Mark will find out. You seen how angry he is, that's just the tip of the iceberg. That boy has a temper just like his father when he was young."_

Tesla got up and walked toward the door. _"You guys should sleep, we've got a long day tomorrow."_

_ "But we haven't eaten anything yet," _said Mark's Pikachu. _"I'm starving!"_

Tesla walked up to the fridge and opened it. Sure enough there were MRE's crammed inside, he grabbed the packets and a bottle of water and handed it to his great-granddaughter. _"Had you ever eaten MRE's before?"_

_ "No," _said Mark's Pikachu.

_"Just add water in the packet, let it sit for a moment, then eat it. They might taste bad or might not have any flavor at all. But they would keep you guys going."_

Mark's Pikachu passed the packets to Emolga and the Cheering Pokémon. Tesla then left them be and headed back to his bedroom and slumped on the bed. He was asleep within seconds.

**. . .**

Morning came like the last, slow and steady. Swoo II and IV, who were on night patrol, went to bed, and Swoo I and III took their place. The barracks stirred. Slowly one by one got up from their bunk beds and wondered outside for breakfast. Wotter stepped out without raising much attention. As always, he doesn't talk to others nor does he have much of an appetite. After doing his daily jog around the base, he sponge washed himself before heading back into the elite bunker, doing who-knew-what.

Smugleaf herself sat up from bed, she let out a yawn before turning toward Bubbles. The pink Oshawott snoozed on, still apparently tired. So far she had mostly recovered, yesterday she had not said a word or reference about her late trainer. Smugleaf was sure she could handle herself again, she decided to leave her be once more.

The Grass Snake Pokémon got up and stepped out of the bunker. She roughly head toward the elite bunker. The Grass Snake Pokémon hadn't checked up on Nobark since yesterday. Already she wanted another espresso, and a shower. Yesterday's shampoo had mostly faded now, the familiar body-sweat was coming back. Maybe Tesla would take her back to Springfield for another run, assuming he was that generous. Then again, she doesn't wanna be near him. The old Mouse Pokémon has compassion. Sure. But he was harsh, running off of a strict code of discipline stronger than Wotter's. She looked up to him, and yet, she feared him. Everybody feared him side from Wotter, they seem to see eye to eye on a lot of things.

Smugleaf walked into the command bunker and walked down the corridor toward Nobark's room. She passed an open door, something caught her eye. Smugleaf stopped and looked in. Sitting on the couches was an Emolga, another Pikachu, and two electric-polarity things. They were eating MRE's while Tesla dined with them. Her eyes centered on the Emolga, the Sky Squirrel Pokémon ate out of the MRE without much enthusiasm. Somehow she looked familiar. Smugleaf knew that brown fur from someplace, but she couldn't remember where. Déjà vu numbed her brain. Surely she knew this Emolga from somewhere.

Tesla shot a look at Smugleaf before she even took a step into the room. She froze. The Mouse Pokémon sat down his MRE, then got up and marched toward her. The old Pikachu gave her a hard shove and pushed her out of the room, she staggered and bumped against the concrete wall.

The old Pikachu shut the door behind him, then seized Smugleaf by the throat. "You better not lay a hand nor vine on those Pokémon," he said. "Those Pokémon belonged to a trainer, who happens to be the grandson of yet another old friend, and who happens to have wondered into Fort Wernher while we both were at Springfield. That Pikachu is my great-granddaughter, you best stay clear from her! Got it!?"

"What," Smugleaf asked. "What are you talking about!?"

Tesla smacked Smugleaf against the wall. "You know damn what I'm talking about! I know your type, if you even merely touch those Pokémon I will _spay _you so hard I'll send you packing to the ends of the earth! I don't care what you do with that Oshawott, but you will _not _get near these Pokémon. You got that you f*cking serpent!?"

Smugleaf sheepishly nodded. "Yes!"

Tesla let go and Smugleaf dropped to the floor, then he went back inside the room and shut the door behind him.

Smugleaf rubbed the area where Tesla grabbed her. She blinked, took a deep breath and sighed. The Grass Snake Pokémon resisted the urge to scream, instead she got up and continued toward Nobark's bedroom.

Then she remembered Nobark's moods.

She sighed and turned around, heading back the way she came. _What a great way to say 'Good Morning,' Tesla. _Smugleaf thought as a tear trailed down her face.

**. . .**

_"Was that the Snivy?" _Mark's Pikachu asked.

_"Smugleaf," _said Tesla. _"Her name is Smugleaf, and yes, that was her."_

_ "You were a little mean to her."_

_ "She's a predator, I'm not letting her near you guys."_

_ "She looked more scared than hungry," _said Plusle.

Emolga dug into her MRE. Strangely enough it didn't taste as bad as she thought it would. The flavor of this one must be cheddar cheese. But there were no preservatives. No seasoning to make it taste like cheddar cheese. Of course, MREs weren't made to be enjoyed. They were made to fill, and they were doing a good job. It also made it easier to think about other things, like the Snivy who tried to walk into the room.

Somehow she was familiar. Very familiar. The more she picked at the thought, the more her brain numbed. She wasn't good at thinking. In fact, she never think at all. She never worried much about anything until Mark got canned and she was tossed into the trunk of a police car. The Sky Squirrel Pokémon could barely concentrate. Her thoughts keep wondering back and forth on Mark and Nobark. Now this Smugleaf, this Snivy of a sort, had wondered into the room. Was she someone she had met before?

As she tried to figure it out, her fur itched. It had been a while since she last had a bath. Emolga needed one. Bad. Now her butt was itching from using the bathroom. Mark would clean her up and even get all that stuck poo off her rear. That was the most enjoyable part. It relieved the itching and made life bearable. Mark always loved and cared for her, he always made the world better.

The whole world was falling apart. Her world was falling apart. Tesla was just as caring but he was overprotective, mean-spirited, and not as friendly. Heck, he even chewed off Minun's ear off yesterday. Emolga almost thought he was going to hurt her. She couldn't tell whose side he was even on. But what seemed clear was that it was neither. Maybe he hadn't taken a side. Maybe that was why it felt like he wasn't giving anyone an advantage.

The door to the den suddenly opened and Nobark stepped through. He looked mad, angry. The girls froze. Plusle and Minun hugged each other for dear comfort while Pikachu just sat there, as if she realized there wasn't much she could even do. Tesla on the other hand just looked at Nobark, she showed no emotion or concern.

Then Nobark charged, his head arched forward toward Tesla. The old Pikachu got up and tackled the Scrafty head on. He grabbed a hold of his back and flipped him, then ringed his arm around Nobark's pencil-thin neck and vigorously rubbed his fist into his skull.

"Whoa," said Tesla. "We've got a wild one here!"

Nobark squirmed and kicked, angrily fighting to break free. Tesla just laughed and hang on, seemingly antagonizing him more. It was like he was trying to tame a Boufallant in heat.

The Hoodlum Pokémon kicked and squealed for another minute, then settled down. Tesla let go and Nobark flopped on his back. The old Pikachu laughed as the Scrafty sat up, puzzled. "Did I charge at you?" Nobark asked.

"Yes," said Tesla. "Like old times, you clearly still remember the script."

He stood up and stretched his arms. "How's your morning going?"

"Doing fine, Smugleaf is up if you need her."

"Yes, I do need her. I need to go over the plans for the raid."

"She'd just left," said Tesla. "I don't know where she is now."

"I'll find her," said Nobark. "Tonight we'll put together a meeting. I'll bring Tendon, Woody, and Wotter in. Their special set of skills are invaluable, they can get us out of a jam."

"We're going to need a Swoobat or two, so bring one in as well."

Nobark nodded. "Yes, Tesla."

After Nobark left, Tesla turned to Emolga. _"You guys want to join us in the raid?"_

_ "A raid," _Emolga asked. _"A raid for what?"_

_ "Supplies, like shampoo."_

Her eyes lit up, _"Well, of course. Count me in, I need shampoo anyway!"_

_ "But what's the reward?" _Mark's Pikachu asked.

_"You guys can get wasted for one night, that's the reward. Eat till your bellies burst, drink till you pass out. That kind of thing."_

_ "Mark forbid us from drinking alcohol," _said Emolga.

_"Then don't drink alcohol, get a substitute."_

_ "What kind of substitute?" _Plusle asked.

_"I'll think of something."_

A raid, Emolga was familiar. She had gone on night missions with Mark before, usually just to mess with corrupt kids. But never before had she tried to steal anything. It didn't feel right to just take something that doesn't belong to her. Mark would agree to something like this though, he had no trouble stealing. What he did was none of her concern. But what she do herself was a different story.

_"Is something wrong, Emolga?" _Tesla asked.

_"Me and the girls hadn't stole anything before," _she said.

_"I had," _said Mark's Pikachu with an unusual degree of enthusiasm. _"I go on raids like all the time back in Dixie, usually in infestations. The goal was usually food. Fit as much food in your stomach for as much as you can and leave before the cops show up."_

_ "You were raised to raid?" _Tesla asked.

_"Yes."_

_ "Can you carry some loads on your back?"_

Mark's Pikachu thought for a moment. _"Haven't tried before, in fact I haven't pilfered anything besides food."_

_ "You're feeling up to beer?"_

She smiled. _"Beer? That's a Dixierat tradition. Sometimes I would drink beer on special nights, but I never got full-blown drunk. If I did I would find myself sleeping with a male, and that usually leads to other consequences."_

_ "Are you fast on your feet?"_

_ "I'm not a runner."_

Tesla smirked. _"Well, obviously."_

Emolga stared at Mark's Pikachu for a moment, then shook her head. _"Can we get something for Mark?"_

_ "Yeah," _said Tesla. _"A sh*tload of cash. I'll jerry-rig whatever ATMs are in Springfield and I'll get him a huge wad of cash for him to take home. Can you carry bricks of Pokédollars Emolga?"_

_ "I don't know, my gliders won't let me wear a backpack."_

Plusle and Minun jumped up. _"We can," _they chirped in unison. _"We can do it!"_

_ "You sure?" _Tesla asked.

_"Mark trained us to," _said Plusle. _"He was very thorough!"_

Tesla nodded. _"I'll get you guys some backpacks, stuff it with as much cash as you can possibly carry and head back to Fort Wernher. You know where you are?"_

_ "We weren't blindfolded the whole way, we know our way around the forest."_

Tesla turned to Emolga, she clenched her teeth. _"Will you do what you are told?" _he asked.

Emolga nodded. _"Yes."_

_ "Can you glide from rooftop to rooftop?" _

_ "Yes."_

_ "Look, I know this may be all new to you but apparently it is not with others. I don't want you guys to walk away with nothing after all this is over. I want you to head back home with some savings in the bank. With Mark angry as it is, he would expect to get something out of all this."_

_ "But we're stealing," _said Emolga.

Tesla stood up. _"If you were raised in the wild, you would think differently. My great-granddaughter and I grew up with almost nothing. We have to _pilfer _for things we need to survive. You know how much work Mark put in to take care of you?"_

_ "No."_

_ "Enough work that it looks like an obsession. That's why he's angry. He doesn't want to see all his efforts collapse before him. You and these Pokémon here make the foundation of his life, and I expect you guys to give back to him after all these years of care."_

Emolga looked away and thought about it. She had never gave much thought about all the work Mark put in to take care of her. To her, he just gives her food and a bath and loving. She never thought why. More importantly, she never thought _how._ The Sky Squirrel Pokémon never thought what holds up love, and the answer sounds like it was greed. That explains why Mark always played with the stock market. That explains why Mark pulled cash out of bad people's wallets. That was why he worked two jobs. Of course, he was doing it all for _her _and the girls. It was greed, it was all greed.

"_Well," _she said. _ "Mark is always greedy."_

_ "Greed is good," _said Tesla. _"But only if you know how to manage it."_

_ "You wanna come along or not, Emolga?" _Mark's Pikachu asked.

_"Well," _Emolga thought about it some more, then gave up. _"Okay, I'll come along. But just please don't make me regret it."_

_ "You won't," _said Tesla. _"As long as you do what you are told."_

_ "I'll do what I was told."_

Tesla sat beside Emolga and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. _"That-a-girl."_

The Sky Squirrel managed a smile, she had no idea why but it felt good. But was it _really _good?

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	17. Chapter 17

_Chapter 17_

Nobark spotted Smugleaf as she approached the elite bunker. Her head was down, her face in shame. He jogged up to her and stopped her just before she opened the door. "Smugleaf, wait!"

The Grass Snake Pokémon turned. Her eyes her watery, a sign her feelings were hurt. Nobark had seen this a few times in the past. Most were from minor things, like internal discomforts and the lack of food. But he hadn't seen this look in a long time, and it didn't take much imagination to figure out what happened.

"How bad was it?" Nobark asked.

"How bad was it!?" Smugleaf retorted. "His aura alone scares me sh*tless, everything else broke me down. Just how did you handle him, Nobark?"

"I stay on his good side by giving him beer. Booze makes him nicer, but it depends on timing." Then Nobark said, "Speaking of Tesla, I may have found something that might keep him docile while he's here with us."

"What is it?" Smugleaf asked.

"Remember that raven-haired boy with his own Pikachu, back at Vegas City?"

Smugleaf nodded. "Tesla followed him a lot."

"He and his friends are near Carbondale or Springfield. I'll give it to you straight. We're going to capture them and lock them up. That way we can have control over Tesla and make sure he won't step out of line."

"Wouldn't that just pissed him off?" Smugleaf asked.

Nobark froze. "Oh, I forgot about that part. In that case we need a wild card, I think I know what might do the trick."

"And what will that be?" Smugleaf asked.

"I'll tell you later," said Nobark. "Right now you are in no shape to handle the rest of the day. If you want, I could ask Tendon to give you some Valium."

Smugleaf waved a hand. "I don't need the Valium just yet. Tonight, definitely. But not right now."

The Snivy then wrapped her arms around Nobark and hugged him and he hugged back. "He's nice," said Smugleaf. "Yet he's mean, I can't figure him out."

"He's old and pissed. If he says he would do you harm if you don't do this," Nobark chuckled. "You can bet your ass he would back up his word."

Smugleaf let go and looked at Nobark. "He said he would spay me if I get near Mark's Pokémon."

"Then you better watch your back, you don't have physical nor political power over Tesla Westinghouse. Few humans and Pokémon in the world have such influence. One of them is that raven-haired kid, this Ash Ketchum. We'll get some relief soon, Smugleaf. I'm sure of it."

Smugleaf nodded. "Thank you, Nobark."

"You're welcome."

When Smugleaf closed the door behind her, Nobark sighed. True, he had no leverage over Tesla. He couldn't do anything. Every time Tesla asserts himself, it was always him and not Nobark who makes the decisions. For most of his life he was conditioned to obey Irvin, obey Tesla. That always left him in a state of disarray. How could he make a single decision without Tesla holding his hand? Maybe this Ash Ketchum guy could give him leverage. If that was the case, then he would sleep easier tonight. Assuming he would sleep at all. But there was something else other than Ash. The data Mark brought along. He knew of certain files in there that was sensitive to the Pikachu. But could he use them to break Tesla? Could he even be broken at all?

**. . .**

Wotter stirred and glanced at the clock. It was eight in the morning. The Panpour was cradled right beside him all docile and soft. He stroke the weird hairstyle on her head and dragged his nose across her arm, smelling her scent. She smelled like mildew, a common odor for water-types under stress. Wotter wasn't sure why water-types smell like that, maybe he would never know. No matter. This Panpour had been pacified, they were all too easy to pacify. Sh*tdicks always break down after the first two days, then they became docile the third. He didn't know why, but it works. Sometimes he felt like he was following a movie script, and with it all the familiar lines and scenes and action. He played it over and over again. There was no change. There was never change.

The Discipline Pokémon opened his mouth and gently bit the Panpour's shoulder. It tasted like blueberry. He didn't know why either. Maybe she had a taste for blueberries, or maybe she simply _tasted _like blueberries. Again, a weird water-type trait. Again, a question he would never know.

Then again, why was he asking questions that he didn't know the answer to?

He peaked into the Spray Pokémon's ears. Earwax was building up. A common problem for the PRA was impacted earwax. Cotton swabs and ear spray was out of stock. Everyone seemed to have this problem. Well, everyone with ears that is. Smugleaf never had problems with earwax build up. Of course she haven't, she was a serpent. Serpents don't have ears. But he did heard about Woody having problems with earwax buildup. When was that, a year ago? Two years? Somewhere around that timeframe he went to Tendon to have some earwax removed. She was no ear doctor, but she complied to help him. Normally they would use an optical cable with a clamp for earwax removal, but she did it with the old-fashion orthoscope and tweezers. She did a good job. Tendon pulled out two balls of thick earwax, and after flushing out the excess with water she was _paid _for her services and sent Woody on his way. The Timburr had a smile on his face for the entire day.

_Lucky bastard, _Wotter thought.

The Panpour stirred, Wotter pressed down on her head with his hand. Amazing it was easy for him to turn her into a puppet. But he'll need to find something other than beer to keep her docile. She would build up resistance against the alcohol eventually, which would not be sufficient for the long-term. He thought about the raids that Nobark had planned. Or was it Tesla who had planned them? Doesn't matter. They had a plan, and maybe he could persuade Nobark to go with Tendon. Assuming she would come along in this. He had never seen her outside of Fort Wernher. Only Nobark had. Once. Fifteen years ago.

He wrapped his arms around the Panpour, it stopped moving and went still. She was awake, definitely. Wotter didn't care, as long as she was pacified he had no concern to worry about.

**. . .**

Nobark on the other hand had plenty to worry about.

His hand shook uncontrollably as he walked down the corridor of the human jail. He clutched an MRE, a disposable spoon, and a water-bottle in his right hand and arm. He used his shaking left hand to unlock Mark's cell door and open it. Soldier Boy was sitting on the concrete cot with his hands on his knees, almost like he was meditating. There was chalk etched on the wall. Two white vertical dashes marked side by side. Probably indicating the number of days he had been in the cell. Mark's eyes fluttered open and he turned toward Nobark. Whatever anger he had was spent, replaced with impatience.

"So you've broken Tesla," said Nobark. "How?"

Mark said, "I shot in the arm with a .22 rifle, then my dad shot him in the leg with a 9mm. The .22 didn't do much damage, but the 9mm packed a major punch. I later found him an alley, bleeding to death."

Nobark asked, "The look in his eyes says it all?"

"Yes, it did."

Nobark nodded. "Well then, just how much data did you pull out of those USB sticks?"

"I pulled everything on them. The original USB sticks were old, holding only four gigabytes each. I downloaded them all on a single file. Organized them a bit. Then made several copies on 128 GB drives."

"Exactly how many copies?"

"One for a friend, one for my girlfriend, one for Matt, one for my father, one for the safe-box at home, one for my post-office box, one for my laptop, and two to bring to you. In total that makes nine USB sticks, worth at least one thousand one hundred and fifty-two gigabytes of data, which is roughly one terabyte."

Nobark only registered half of all that. He may be good at human and Pokémon speech, but techno speech was a language all on its own. He simply asked, "128 gigabytes?"

"Yes."

"Was it expensive?"

"Yes, it was expensive. I chewed up a lot of my savings to make sure your history is preserved."

"How much money?"

"Hundreds of Pokédollars."

"You must have a good job."

"Two jobs actually. One at an auto shop, the other at a grocery store. I had a lot of vacation time built up on both of them, which was why I could afford the trip to Unova."

Nobark nodded. "What are you expecting to get out of this?"

"Your part of all this. Tesla wants to bring Irvin's legacy down cause he made him ridiculously famous. So I pulled whatever info I could find and have you explain their background."

"You got what you were looking for in those files?"

Mark nodded. "More than enough. I found videos and photos of things that I couldn't find at the Faraday City Library. I'm not at all surprised at what I found, but I was surprised that some of the videos in the trunk were accurately described by Tesla. Word for word almost. Some of which were made fifty or sixty years ago."

"That's because Tesla made half the videos on there, the rest were either Irvin or his other Pokémon like myself. I did my part in it all. I personally thought no one would ever look at it, but you proved me wrong." Then Nobark asked, "How does Tesla behave around you?"

"Bored and pissed," said Mark. "But that's around me, not around Ash or his friends. He likes them. Why exactly?"

_They always asked why, _Nobark thought. "Cause he seemed to regress to the Tesla I mostly knew during my time."

"I can pretty much tell."

"Your Pokémon feels more helpless around him than me, which means he controls all this. No matter what I do, I'm getting the losing end of the stick here. Mostly because of my . . . uh, condition."

Mark stared at him for a moment, then asked, "You want to break him?"

_Ah, straight to the point. _"Yes, I want to break him. Or at least tune him down to where he's more likable."

"There's a song on those files. Him singing to Polly about a song that his mother had taught him when he was a Pichu."

Nobark nodded. "I know, Irvin taped the whole thing. Secretly. When Tesla found out about it later, he was pissed but didn't complain much about it. Mostly because that was a private moment and he didn't wanna ruin the memory."

Mark said, "When I mentioned this to him, he blew up. He got so angry the power shut off for a few seconds."

Nobark raised his eyebrow. "He did that?"

"Yes, he did. He said he didn't know how but he did it."

"Then he must be growing stronger."

"He's growing older, Nobark. He gets tired easily if he uses his electricity."

Nobark said, "Irvin used to attach a drained car battery to him to discharge the excess electricity. The battery gets to max charge within minutes. I'm not sure how much energy Irvin drained but probably enough to where the battery was hot to the touch."

"Damn."

"Damn straight, one time Tesla accidentally discharged on Bunsen, Irvin's Tepig. So he went out to the back and discharged a sh*tload of electricity straight into the earth. It was a lot. The lights were flickering and I was hiding under Irvin's bed cause I was convinced he was going to split the world in two. It lasted for a full minute, then Tesla came back inside exhausted. His cheeks were hot, burning actually. He collapsed on the couch and we put ice packs over his face. He was out for the entire day."

"What did Irvin think?" Mark asked.

"He wasn't there, but your grandfather was. He braved a snapshot of it before jumping into his car, as it would act as a Faraday cage if the lightning hits him. Irvin later heard about all this from him, and he laughed, mostly because of how we reacted."

Mark nodded. "Was it like the gates of the Aether had opened up?"

"So it looks in the picture, it was just a mass of purple plasma."

"He'd done it again a few months ago, turned two guys into a pile of skeletons. He was protecting his great-granddaughter."

"Your Pikachu?"

"Yes, my Pikachu. Tesla has partial ownership of her because of relation."

Nobark sat the MRE, spoon, and water on the concrete bed. "I don't know how you did it," he said. "But it would be nice if Tesla wasn't so hostile."

"So that's why I'm in here," said Mark. "As leverage over him?"

Nobark chuckled. "I would've locked you in regardless, assuming Wotter hadn't killed you. But since Tesla ordered me to, then there is not much leverage I could have there. Your Pokémon might have influence, but they are just as useless. No help there."

Mark frowned. "They're not entirely useless."

_There he goes again, _Nobark thought. _Defending his Pokémon. _

Nobark said, "Is that's the case, then they might be helpful for something."

Mark said, "You better not hurt them in any way, period."

"Tesla said he would spay one of my inner circle members if she got near them, he's more protective of them than you."

"That's because he's an authoritarian, he runs off of discipline. He was trained for it."

"And he doesn't like it," Nobark added. "Why does he still do it, I have no idea."

Nobark shut the door and locks it. He heard Mark say something but the door muffled his voice. The Hoodlum Pokémon stared at the door for a moment, then turned toward the exit. _The files, _he thought. _The files are the key._

**. . .**

Tesla stepped into Nobark's bedroom. The sorry sight of all the trash mountains made him wonder if it was possible to clear everything out. Maybe a huge pit would be dug up, and all the trash shoved in to be set ablaze. That might produce toxic gasses, judging by all the plastic and aluminum in the mix. Then again, he saw no other way to haul the trash out of here. They were surrounded by forest, and no trash collector would come near here with a one hundred meter pole. So where would the PRA dig up the pit? Not in Fort Wernher, obviously. Somewhere far out, but still in walking distance. He remember seeing a Drilbur in the barracks, maybe he could help with the pit. Wotter and Woody would cut down whatever trees are there to make some room. Then every fire-type would pitch in and incinerate the trash.

But that would go against the code of conduct for Pokémon, or one of the golden rules at least. Such as, _Never do harm to nature._ Tesla had grew up in the wild, sure. But human civilization was better. He was better fed and cared for than the wilderness, not to mention good access to health care. Eventually the wilderness would be destroyed by mankind. Either a hundred or a thousand years from now. It cannot be stopped, it was a hopeless cause.

Tesla shoved the thought out of his mind and turned to the table. Nobark's AK-47 and pictures of the past were still there. The PVC folder with the essays and USB sticks sat at the corner. Among Nobark's things he saw a shotgun with the adjustable stock, along with a hunting knife, a police baton, and a 9mm pistol. Tesla raised an eyebrow. He approached the table and picked up the pistol. Glock 17, police issue. He sat it down and picked up the knife and pulled it out of the holster. It was brand new, recently bought. Tesla opened the pouch and found a pocketknife, also recently bought. He put them back in the holster and sat it back on the table.

Among the 7.62mm ammo and magazines, he spotted an olive green Velcro wallet. He grabbed it and opened it up and found Mark's ID and passport card, along with his discount and bank cards. There was only a few Pokédollar bills left inside. These were Mark's things alright, he definitely stole the guns and bought the knives with whatever cash he had left. Mark's backpack sat in the corner of the room. Tesla opened it up. It was mostly empty save for Mark's three Poké balls. He likes to travel light, Tesla guessed. He shoved all of Mark's things back into his backpack, then dragged his backpack back into his room. He pulled the Red Cross bag open and pulled out the cash he harvested from the ATM in Springfield, then tuck it inside a pocket in the backpack's main compartment.

"You'll be a rich boy after this, Mark," Tesla thought. "You spoiled idiot."

The old Pikachu realized something, he opened up the backpack again and took out the hunting knife. He stared at it for a moment, then pulled out the pocketknife. The handle was entirely stainless steel. It was all stainless-steel. It fit well in Tesla's small hand, he flicked out the blade with his thumb and held it up. Carbon-impregnated blade, beautiful. He refolded the knife and tucked it back into its pouch, it would come to use later.

**. . .**

The day went on with little issue. Mark's Pokémon kept quiet. Wotter and Smugleaf kept quiet. Mark kept quiet. Most of all, Nobark hadn't said a word, or at least Tesla didn't hear him say anything within earshot. He took a stroll around Fort Wernher, got a look at its fence and crudely-dug trench. The chain-linked fence was at least 4 meters tall, almost as tall as the buildings. It had barbed-wire on the top, ready to bite into anything that tries to climb over. The fence was rusted from age. On every forth post there was a sign that reads _CAUTION: MILITARY INSTALLATION – AUTHORIZED PERSONAL ONLY. _They were rusted, small cracks in the reflective paint bled such rust over the letters while the sun bleached out the colors. Whatever assertion they had was long gone, Tesla doubted any human got close enough to even read them.

Just in front of the Pre-PRA fence was a trench. It was just about as deep as Tesla was tall. It was badly maintained. Erosion had eaten at the walls and long-evaporated puddles pockmarked the bottom. Grass was starting to grow, along with weeds and ferns. Tesla got into the trench and pressed his back against the wall, then tried to imagine Pokémon firing within it at incoming human beings armed with guns. He pictured fire and water and leaves and electricity spraying out of the trench onto incoming humans, along with Molotov cocktails and arrows and .22 rounds. Soldiers screamed, the forest burning around them.

Tesla stood up and climbed out of the trench. He head back through the East gate. It was stuck open, cocked at an angle as it was wedged in the dirt. Nobody tried to fix it. Why?

He got his answer when a shadow passed over him.

Tesla looked up and saw one of Fort Wernher's Swoobats. It aimed its heart-shaped nose in a scan formation as it flapped its wings. How long was it up in the sky? The old Pikachu wasn't sure, why not ask it to find out?

He held up his hand and arched a bolt of electricity across his fingers. The spark was so bright it flashed, creating spots in his vision. Tesla sparked his hand three times. Paused. Sparked three times again. Paused. The Swoobat quickly took notice. It swooped in, wings outstretched and head pointed downward. The Courting Pokémon got close enough to where Tesla could see its weird stone-like smile. It then flapped its wings to slow its decent, kicking up dust as it landed feet first on the ground. Normally Swoobats would keep on flying, expecting to receive orders. But this Swoobat seemed to know that Tesla just wanted to chat. It stared at him with big eyes. Its pink nose sparkling with mucus. Its smile unchanged.

_"Howdy, Tesla," _the Swoobat chirped.

_"Howdy to you," _Tesla replied in Pokémon speech. _"Which Swoobat are you?"_

_ "Swoo III," _said the Swoobat.

_ "Right," _then Tesla asked. _"How long have you been up in the sky?"_

_ "Since 6AM in the morning."_

_ "You know what time it is?"_

_ "Almost noon."_

Tesla nodded. _"You must be tired after flying for six hours straight."_

_ "I take power naps once an hour," _said Swoo III. _"Ten minutes for each nap. Around lunch and dinner, thirty."_

_ "You stick to the schedule?"_

_ "Nobark would chew me out if I hadn't. Besides, I take pride in my job. I'm part of the morning crew. If I don't do my job, Fort Wernher would lose faith. I can't afford to skimp on the schedule."_

Tesla chuckled. _"I know that feeling."_

Swoo III asked, _"You ever take pride in your job?"_

_ "Yes and no. I had many jobs over the course of my life. Some I like, some that I don't like. But through it all I worked my tail off to earn some income. That money went to my trainer's house. It pays off the insurance premiums, it pays off the utility bills. It wasn't necessary, since Irvin's salary was roughly two-thousand Pokédollars a day. But I insisted on earning my keep, cause I had to give back to Irvin somehow. And besides, I do both our taxes."_

_ "Oh," _said Swoo III. _"You know math!"_

_ "Irvin was very thorough in teaching mathematics," _said Tesla.

_"Can you tell me the significance of a number?"_

_ "Like what number?"_

_ "Thirty-six."_

_ "Thirty-six is an even number, it can be divided into four and nine."_

_ "How about thirty-seven?"_

_ "Thirty-seven is a prime number."_

_ "What's a prime number?"_

_ "A number that can only be divided by one and itself. Prime numbers are the odd-balls in the cosmos, more strange than anything in existence cause you can't pick them apart no matter how much you try."_

Swoo III chirped, _"Cool!"_

Tesla asked, _"Why are you so interested in math?"_

Swoo III jumped up on and down on his feet. _"I like math, all those numbers and strict rules. They seem so vibrant," _then he stopped and frowned, which looked kinda off on her face. _"But I can't learn math, I don't have any hands. My feet can't even hold a pen right."_

_ "Having hands won't guarantee you even learning how to write," _Tesla thought. _"Let alone math."_

_ "Why?"_

_ "Not all Pokémon are equal. You may have the air, but my feet are stuck to the ground. I can vaporize matter with a Thunderbolt, yet I can't even swim."_

_ "Is it that complex?"_

Tesla nodded. _"Yes, and it is only the tip of the iceberg."_

Swoo III smiled again. _"Good to know that I'm not alone with that issue."_

_ "Arceus is a bitch. He may have brought to the world significant Pokémon, yet not all Pokémon can practice complex thought. It ain't our fault we have different body structures."_

Swoo III lifted his wings and stretched. _"So what's on your mind, Tesla?"_

_ "Nobark and I are planning a raid, and it would be nice to have air support while we're at it. You wanna join in?"_

Swoo III's eyes went big. _"Wait, you're asking me to join!?"_

_ "Is there a problem?" _Tesla asked.

_"I . . . I usually don't get a choice in the matter. Nobark said to always do what I'm told. I never thought much about what he has me do. I never question who decides. But me, making a decision!? One major problem is that I'm a daytime Swoobat, not nighttime. You'll need to ask Swoo II and Swoo IV for help."_

Tesla had seen this kind of Pokémon before. Swoo III was conditioned to listen and obey. Not speak her mind and act independent. Most of the PRA were like that, all except Irvin's inner circle. Besides them, nobody had much of a choice. They weren't conditioned to choose, they were conditioned to obey. Nobark was also conditioned to obey, which was why he hadn't made very good decisions. Swoo III's eyes blinked, he staggered on his feet and shook his head. _"Ugh," _he cried. _"My brain in numbed by thinking about it!"_

_ "It isn't that hard to decide," _said Tesla. _"I'm not forcing you to go."_

_ "Yes it is," _Swoo III squealed. _"The PRA can't decide! We're all trained to obey Nobark, we don't make our own decisions! Oww, I'm getting a headache from it all!"_

The Courting Pokémon collapsed on his back and moaned, Tesla rushed up to him and lifted up his head. _"You alright?"_

_ "I don't know," _he said. _"Deciding is hard!"_

Tesla helped Swoo III back to her feet, he brushed off the dirt off his back and tilted his head up. _"You're part of the day patrol right?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ "So is it logical sense that you can't go, because you're part of the day patrol and the raid's at night? Think about it. You can't afford to be tired in the morning. That would ruin the schedule."_

_ "The schedule! Yes, of course!"_

_ "So is your answer obvious?"_

Swoo III just stared at him. _"I wish it was."_

Tesla grabbed the bridge of his nose and held it for a moment, then through his hand down. _"Alright, don't go. Don't come along with the raid because you can't afford to stay up half the night."_

The Courting Pokémon breathed a sigh of relief. _"Oh, thank you."_

Tesla grumbled. _"When's your next power nap?"_

_ "Within three minutes, I think."_

_ "Take an extra five minutes of rest, then resume the normal schedule."_

_ "Yes, sir."_

Then Tesla said in a commander's tone, _"Dismissed, Swoo III."_

The Swoobat leaped up and took to the skies, flying higher than before. Tesla watched him arched and dropped toward the earth in a slope, then vanished within the canopy. The old Pikachu turned back toward the broken gate, then glanced back to where Swoo III had dive-bombed. _The Swoobats are the security system, _he thought. _Who needs gates and locks when there are Swoobats keeping watch from above?_

To Tesla, it sounded like this was a chink in Fort Wernher's armor. He made a mental note on where Swoo III landed. If he flied there twice in the row, then she must have a favorite branch where he liked to sleep.

**. . .**

Swoo II and IV got a similar meeting with Nobark later that night. The Hoodlum Pokémon went over them on several things. Swoo IV strayed too close to the towns on his patrol routes, which is a no-fly-zone. Then there were complaints that one of the Swoobats were waking conscripts up unnecessarily. Swoo II did all the talking. He explained that they switch things up a while so they don't get bored with the same old routine, which was understandable.

Nobark stated to Swoo IV that he violated orders by flying too close to the towns. Swoo II claimed that he and Smugleaf were sleeping with and did not wish to disturb them, then they said they kind of _forgot._ It made no lost his temper and ringed Swoo IV around the neck. The Swoobat flapped its rings and screamed. Her buddy just stood there horrified.

_"Kinda forgot, aye!?"_

_ "Please, Nobark," _cried Swoo IV. _"Have mercy!" _

_ "You disobeyed a command because you kind of forgot!?"_

_ "It was discretion!" _Swoo II cried.

Nobark shot a look at Swoo II, the Courting Pokémon lurched back. Swoo IV continued to struggle in Nobark's arm, he finally let go of the Swoobat and the Courting Pokémon toppled back, bumping her head against a tree.

_"You're lucky you are such an important commodity to Fort Wernher," _he said to both Swoobats. _"But that doesn't mean you won't escape punishment. If you stray too close to the towns, you will be shot down by the police. They have the authority to shoot any suspicious airborne passerby. I know I've told you this before, but I will tell you this again: If you get shot down and somehow survived, don't expect to fly again. If you are incapacitated or killed by the humans, you have officially betrayed the PRA because you guys cannot be replaced. You don't wanna leave your friends helpless are you?"_

_ "No!" _Swoo II and IV cried in unison.

_"Then get your asses together and make sure it doesn't happen again!"_

The Swoobats watched Nobark stormed off, his hand shaking all over the place. When he was out of earshot, Swoo II muttered, _"Oh crap, he's right! If we get shot down, both the PRA and us will be helpless. I've should have been aware!"_

_ "Don't beat yourself up over it," _said Swoo IV. _"Sometimes things get boring and we stray off course, there's nothing to be ashamed of."_

_ "But I put myself at risk!"_

Swoo II just sat there and broke down in tears. Swoo IV wasn't sure what to do. He was an expert scout and recon Pokémon, but for social issues that a different thing. He needed an expert, someone who was familiar with guilt.

_"Let's go find, Smugleaf," _he said. _"I'm sure she would cheer her up."_

Swoo II nodded. _"Yes, Smugleaf. She knows best."_

Swoo IV helped Swoo II up and they both flied off toward the elite bunker.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	18. Chapter 18

_Chapter 18_

With the day's problems were all sorted out, the sun nudged over the horizon and the stars took over. Nobark sent Swoo II to gather his inner circle. He firmly instructed that if either of them were sleeping, he should wake them and tell them. Swoo II did what he was told. First Woody showed up, then Tendon. Smugleaf and Wotter took a little longer, they came roughly ten minutes after Tendon. Wotter had a grumpy face as usual. Strangely Smugleaf wasn't too happy, she just strolled in with little enthusiasm. Quite unlike her.

Tesla instructed Swoo II to keep an eye on Mark's Pokémon and report after the meeting. Knowing the girls, he had them use the bathroom before putting them back in the den. Tesla left Swoo II guarding the door and headed to the conference room.

The tables and chairs in the conference room were long gone. The military had mothballed Fort Wernher from most of its furniture. Not only did it no longer had classified computers and gadgets, most of the furniture from the senior staff were stripped out. Nobark added his own features, such as sofas, which had a similar design to the ones in the den. There was also cooler loaded with beer and soft drinks and bottled water. No ice, but the drinks had been in a fridge for a while. The wall had a bulletin board and white board. The former was full of pin-holes from numerous tacks over the years, the latter was greased with smudged dry-erase markings. Old, yet still functional. On the white board was an overhead map of Springfield. It wasn't really a map. It was office paper taped together with the details sketched in with a pencil. Nobark's handiwork. Done with his right hand. It looked quiet professional and neat, almost identical to a real map.

Woody lay back on the couch, a water bottle in his hand. Tendon and Wotter both got beer. Smugleaf simply got coke. Tesla grabbed a water bottle from the fridge, drank down half, then sat it next to the cooler. Nobark stood in the center of the room, clutching his shaking arm. Tesla grabbed the dry-erase marker off the whiteboard's tray and pulled off the cap. It was brand new, never before used until tonight.

_"Thank you all for coming," _said Tesla in Pokémon speech.

_"Doing what I can," _said Woody.

The others said nothing.

Tesla turned to the board, _"Now here is the map of Springfield. Population roughly two thousand three hundred and four. Small, yet prosperous. Its main industry is tourism. The road system of Springfield is organized by main street. It diverges off the main road and cuts through the town, basically dividing it in half, before looping back. In the main road are several stores and restaurant," _Tesla marked a star over several stores. _"Here we have key stores that contained supplies that Fort Wernher needs. Food, water, alcohol, tools. You name it, main street Springfield has it."_

The Mouse Pokémon then marked a star over the Pokémon Center, the fire station, and police station. _"The public service stations will have the most supplies. They are spread out in a triangle. The Pokémon Center on the northeast, fire station's to the south, and the police department is at the west. Right next to Main Street. Now just to make things clear, the public service buildings have the most supplies, yet security will be tight. The commercial buildings are softer targets, however they don't hold as much."_

Wotter raised his hand. _"Do we know about the police response?"_

Tesla turned to him. _"No, though I hadn't seen a single cop in Springfield when Smugleaf and I was out there. I don't trust that. So if we're going to hit the buildings, we're going to need to cut the power from the entire town."_

_ "How would you do that?" _Woody asked.

_"I'll climb up their transformer station and overload them. The power would be cut but the backup generators will kick in at the public service buildings. So before the power is cut, we'll need to go into each building and disable their generators. With the power cut, the emergency personnel will be blinded and we will have extra time."_

Tendon raised her hand. _"You've been to Springfield Pokémon Center?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ "How many Audinos are there?"_

_ "One. For a small town, one is all you need."_

_ "Gender?"_

_ "I didn't ask, but the Audino moved somewhat like a male."_

_ "Personality?"_

_ "Bored, overworked. Ready to take several naps."_

Tendon nodded. _"Then the Pokémon Center should be easy."_

Woody asked,_ "But do we know what the police and fire department are like?" _

_"No," _said Tesla. _"We haven't gotten near them."_

_ "What about the town center?" _

_"Yes, it was around Main Street."_

_ "How does it look there?"_

_ "Peaceful."_

Tendon said. _"We need more intel."_

Wotter broke his silence, he sat up and said, _"I agree. I'm not going out there without getting a clear sense of everything."_

_ "Then tomorrow we can all go out there and do a little survey."_

Tendon shook her head. _"Count me out. I'm fat, and a fat Audino would stand out."_

_ "I'll go," _said Woody. _"I like to see how the infrastructure works."_

_ "I'll volunteer," _said Wotter. _"I'll take a closer look at the public service buildings."_

_ "Do it separately," _said Nobark. _"Don't get anywhere near each other while you're surveying."_

Smugleaf broke her silence, she said, _"Tesla and I had been out there already, we would need to wait a while before we go back out. The people might remember us."_

_ "They would certainly remember me," _said Tesla, then he spoke to Smugleaf in human speech. "If that's the case, then you might have to go out there alone. And please, don't bring your knife. If you get caught out there, the whole plan is shot and Springfield would go on alert-status for weeks."

"I won't bring the knife."

"Don't bring anything with you, period."

_"That goes for us?" _Wotter asked.

Tesla nodded and spoke again in Pokémon speech, _"Yes. If the human populace notice Pokémon wearing backpacks, they're going to be suspicious. So no backpacks until _the _night, got it?"_

Wotter nodded. _"Got it."_

_ "Now, any more questions?"_

There were none.

_"Okay. Tomorrow, we're going to scout out Springfield. Nobark, you get a hold of Swoo I and II. Have them scout out Springfield twice. Swoo I for dawn, Swoo II at dusk. I want them spending at least sixty minutes blasting their sonar at everything to get a feel of the place. And they must give a thorough report. You enforce that, alright?"_

Nobark nodded. _"Right."_

He turned back to the others. _"Those who are staying here. We'll need to put together and organize a team. Who's going to hit what and how? But more importantly, who possess what skill and special abilities and how experienced are they? If any of you have anyone who owes you favors, call them in. This goes to everyone, _try _not to drink alcohol. If you want a drink so bad, know this: There's a liquor store with all sorts of alcohol to choose from, and after we're done getting all the essentials we're going to raid the store clean."_

Tendon smiled. _"I call the kegs."_

Wotter grumbled something under his breath, then turned away.

_"Okay, I'll share half with you, Wotter."_

The Discipline Pokémon managed a small smile. Not quite a real smile, but it was there.

Smugleaf said nothing, she just held her head low and looked away.

"Smugleaf," Tesla said.

The Grass Snake Pokémon shot up.

"You have anything to add?"

Smugleaf sat up straight and thought for a moment. "Uh, no. Not really."

_"Well then," _said Tesla. _"I think we covered much of the important stuff. Remember your tasks guys, dismissed," _then he said in Pokémon speech. "Smugleaf, stay for a moment. I need to have a word with you."

Wotter snickered as he got off the couch and left, then Woody and Tendon got up and left. Tesla turned to Nobark. "You get some rest," he said. "Get your personalities in line and give them the basic rundown, assuming they were listening."

"They're all aware, Tesla," nodded Nobark.

"Okay. Goodnight, buddy."

Nobark nodded and left the room, leaving Smugleaf and Tesla alone.

**. . .**

Initially she thought she did something wrong. Smugleaf tried to remember where she'd been and what she'd done in the last twenty-four hours. She couldn't remember anything out of the ordinary. Her heart was beating fast. Tesla Westinghouse, this overpowering Pokémon, would strike her dead before she even had a chance to react. Leaf Storm, Vine Whip, and her knife won't help her. She was not fast enough to beat Tesla's reaction speed. Her only hope was Attract, but again, there was not enough time. Smugleaf braced herself, fearing the worst.

And the old Mouse Pokémon sensed it.

"We need to talk," he said.

Smugleaf asked, "About what?"

"About everything."

"Everything?"

"About Bubbles, Mark's Pokémon, me, and your past," he licked his lips and sighed. "I'm sorry for pushing you that hard. I'm sorry I said I would spay you if you got near Mark's Pokémon. I was dumping everything on you too fast."

Smugleaf raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because for most of my life I've been dealing with Pokémon who _loved _to get on my nerves, and Nobark just so happens to be one of them."

For a moment, Smugleaf calmed down. She could see Tesla's softer side. He wasn't always like this, and it was clear he didn't wanna be. Tesla was old, and therefore he had friends who had pass away long ago. He felt lonely, depressed. Smugleaf knew the feeling all too well.

Smugleaf asked, "You really mean that about spaying me?"

Tesla frowned. "Yes, I do. Mark would do the same thing if he found out you were fiddling with his Pokémon. I'm sorry I had to use that card."

"Well that's a funny way of apologizing."

"I don't know anything about you. You may had that one major blow in your life. But I had _three. _One, I lost my family. Two, I lost my mate. Three, Irvin died and the friends I knew for decades disappeared. Life's tough, Smugleaf. I understand that. But other Pokémon ain't your toys to play with."

Smugleaf said nothing.

Tesla said, "I'm going to make it up to you."

Smugleaf asked, "How?"

"Lay down, on the couch."

Smugleaf blinked. Not wanting any more hostility from Tesla, she did what she was told. She hopped up on the couch and lay down. Smugleaf stretched out her arms and lay her tail out. Her feet curved over her body, looking more like underdeveloped limbs from an infant. Tesla approached and held out his hand. He hovered it over her belly. Smugleaf felt a drop of sweat trail down her neck. He was up to something, something wrong. She could feel it. She had Pokémon touch her in ways to gain her pleasure. Mostly around her belly, as they like that area a lot. But Tesla showed no desire. He kept his face in a neutral expression as he hovered his hand over her belly for a moment, then dropped it.

Then something strange happened.

First her vision was flooded with an array of colors and fireworks, then her body melted as intense feeling bloomed around her core. It flooded into her arms and legs, then her tail, then into her mind, then into her soul. Smugleaf knew this feeling all too well, but never had she felt something so concentrated and spread out. She let herself go slack as the intense feeling rippled up and down her spine, then squeezed itself around a tight ball around her groin. That was the best part. The world flashed and rang with heightened emotions. Smugleaf's thoughts dissolved, fading away like dust. Consciousness then collapsed. For a moment she got stuck halfway between dream and reality, then dream took over.

**. . .**

_You greedy Snivy, _Tesla thought.

Tesla lifted his hand to cut the current, but Smugleaf didn't come to. Her jaw was locked open, her tongue hanging out. Her skin was hot and clammy. Smugleaf's pulse was pushing into the red zone, but it was quickly coming down. Tesla shook his head. He couldn't remember how he learned such an ability. Tendon would love it. More larger Pokémon could handle such stimulation. Smugleaf was small, and therefore had passed out. Nonetheless, that stimuli would keep the Snivy's appetite in check, that way he didn't have to worry about her much.

Tesla picked up the black marker again and took down notes on the whiteboard, he then put the cap back on and sat it back on the tray. He yawned, it was time for bed. So he left Smugleaf there on the couch as he head back to his bedroom.

**. . .**

When Smugleaf awoke, she felt good. Really good. Her piece of mind was back, and better than before. She sat up and stretched her legs, then stretched her arms. Smugleaf noticed the hand drawn map on the corkboard with marking over it. Oh, of course, the raid. Tesla and Nobark were planning a raid on Springfield. On the whiteboard was a list of notes, written in neat blocky letters. _To do list: Gather intel on police station. Gather intel on fire station. Gather intel on transformer. Gather intel on Pokémon Center. Gather intel on police response time. _Written next to it was labeled, _Rough Draft Plan: Stage one: Disable backup generators. Stage two: Cut the power. Stage three: Raid public service buildings. Stage four: Raid commercial buildings. Stage five: Dump all loot at base. Stage six: Raid optional buildings. Stage seven: Celebrate._

_ Celebrate, _Smugleaf thought.

She got up from the couch and stepped out into the hall. Her legs were wobbly, she could barely hold herself up. Smugleaf staggered and rest her shoulder against the wall, then pulled herself up and continued walking. She pass by Tesla's bedroom. A ping of curiosity struck her. Smugleaf quietly twist the knob and opened the door ajar. Tesla was sleeping on the bed. Face down. Snoring slightly. He looked exhausted, maybe in deep sleep. Better not to disturb him. She closed the door and continued down the hall.

In front of the den was Swoo II. He was awake, but he didn't seemed aware. That notion was shattered when Smugleaf approached. He turned and smiled. _"How you're doing, Smugleaf?" _Swoo II said in a whisper.

_"Doing fine," _she whispered back.

_"You sure look fine."_

Smugleaf grinned, that was nice to here. She then asked, _"What are you doing?"_

_ "Tesla instructed me to guard Mark's Pokémon," _said Swoo II.

_"They're in there?" _

_"Yup, sleeping soundly."_

Her thoughts went back to the Emolga, then it struck her. _Of course!_

_ "What is it, Smugleaf?" _Swoo II asked.

_"You stay there," _said Smugleaf. _"And don't say a word."_

She opened the door and stepped in. Swoo II opened his mouth to say something, but closed it. Mark's Pokémon were sleeping on the couches, all of them on their backs. The Plusle and Minun were hugging each other. Mark's Pikachu was curled up against the back cushion. Smugleaf's attention was solely on Mark's Emolga, whose mouth was locked open, snoring softly.

_I know that snore all too well._

Smugleaf made her approach. She didn't hesitate, the Grass Snake Pokémon shook the Sky Squirrel's shoulder and stirred her awake. Her eyes fluttered open, then turned to Smugleaf.

Smugleaf asked, _"Is that you, Emolga?"_

_ "What?" _

_ "Remember, fifteen years ago at the Pokémon breeder. Remember that Snivy who's cage was next to yours?"_

_ "Uhh, sort of."_

Smugleaf smiled, _"I wrapped my arms around you and we both hugged."_

Emolga's eyes bulged, she shot up and hugged her. _"Snivy!"_

Mark's Pikachu and Cheering Pokémon stirred. They sat up and rubbed their eyes. When they saw who it was, they jumped. _"You're Smugleaf?" _Mark's Pikachu asked.

_"Guys," _said Emolga. _"She's my friend from way back at the Pokémon breeder!"_

Confusion rocked their faces.

Plusle and Minun asked in unison, _"Really?"_

_ "Yeah, we had a cage side by side."_

Pikachu scratched her ear. _"Does Tesla know?"_

_ "He doesn't," _said Smugleaf. _"Get up, I'm going to take you to someone."_

_ "What time is it?" _Plusle asked.

_"It's still night, so we've got to be very quiet. I'm risking my own scales for you."_

She walked out into the hall and told Swoo II, _"Keep an eye on Tesla. If he wakes up, keep him busy. Don't let him into the room until we're back."_

Swoo II nodded. _"Understood, Smugleaf."_

Smugleaf took Emolga outside as her other friends followed along. They held hands. Smugleaf remembered her grip well. It was soft, gentle, loving. She had never thought she would ever see her best-friend again when Alice picked her out. It was hard to say goodbye. When they hugged, she didn't wanna let go. So it was a little longer than it normally would. When Alice called her into her Poké ball, the last thing she saw was Emolga's perfectly groomed brown fur. Then nothing.

Now, fifteen years later, her old friend was back. Her fur was exactly how she had remembered. But Emolga was fatter around the middle, and her cheeks were plushier than before. This Mark guy took good care of her, but who is he exactly?

_"What happened to Alice?" _Emolga asked.

_"I'll tell you later," _said Smugleaf. _"Look, I don't know what Nobark and Tesla are doing but I know they're keeping you apart. I'm risking my life and limb to do this, you know. So you best keep quiet and not say a word to them. Got it?"_

_ "I won't put you at risk, Snivy," _said Emolga.

_"The name's Smugleaf now, Emolga. Smugleaf Stucky, and yes, my trainer named me."_

_ "Nice name, it suits you."_

Smugleaf smiled. _"It did initially."_

It was dark in Fort Wernher, but there were enough starlight and smoldering fire pits for her to see. Using the cover of darkness, she guided Mark's Pokémon toward the human jail. She carefully opened the door and rushed them inside. She closed the door and head down the corridors, checking all the horizontal bars on the doors to see which one was engaged.

_"There," _said Emolga. _"That door."_

Smugleaf approached the door and lifted the horizontal bar, then pushed the door open. Mark was laying on the concrete bed, he stirred and sat up. For a moment he stared at Smugleaf. His eyes were cold, tired. A lot of anger being held in. No wonder Nobark had him locked up, he had a temper and was ready to lash out on her. The only thing preventing him was his Pokémon's presence. Smugleaf let go of Emolga's hand and the Sky Squirrel rushed for him. She cried as she leaped up into his arms. Mark wrapped her up and cradled her head. "Emolga!" he cried.

Pikachu and the Cheering Pokémon rushed up to Mark and hugged him. The Mouse Pokémon climbed up on Mark's arm and licked his face. Mark gleefully wrapped and arm around her and pressed her against his chest. They all cried and giggled and hugged. Smugleaf sniffled, she couldn't hold her tears back.

Mark shot a look at her, the hostility was back. The happy moment died. "Who are you?" he asked.

"My name's Smugleaf Stucky," said Smugleaf. "I'm part of Nobark's inner circle."

"Why did you brought my Pokémon here? I mean, in the middle of the night, why?"

Smugleaf sighed. "Your Emolga is an old friend of mine, we came from the same breeder."

"Bullsh*t."

_"It's true, Mark," _Emolga pouted. _"She's my friend!"_

Mark softened and looked at Emolga for a moment, then turned back at Smugleaf. _"So you know my Emolga?"_

_ "Yes, longer than you. We're both fifteen years old, born days apart. I never had a friend like her before or since."_

_ "Fifteen years old!?"_

Mark dropped his Pokémon on his lap and gripped his head. _"First I found out she was female and _then_ her age. Why don't the scientists tell me this sh*t?"_

_ "I was rejected," _said Emolga. _"I had bad genes, I was thrown out."_

Mark looked down at her, having no clue what she'd just said. "What's that, Emolga?"

Emolga motioned at Smugleaf. _"Ask her, Mark."_

Mark turned to her. "What did she say?"

"The breeder I was born in was bad and corrupted," said Smugleaf. "I have done a little research here and there, trying to figure out about what happens to them. It wasn't good."

"What happens?"

Smugleaf looked at the ground. "First and foremost, where and how did you meet Emolga?"

"In a backroom, behind a closed door at a Pokémon lab in Faraday City. Emolga was at the far corner. Lonely and a bit derpy. I had her since I was eight-years-old. Plusle and Minun here were there, but I didn't get them until later, when I won a contest. The scientists were a bit iffy on giving them up."

"Inbreds are taken from the breeder to a Pokémon lab," said Smugleaf. "For whatever reason, your Pokémon were taken to Faraday City. Believe it or not. By bringing Emolga to your life, you'd just saved her from being euthanized."

Mark's jaw dropped. "Bullsh*t."

"I'm not bullsh*ting you. Nobark had me go to Pokémon labs to save these Pokémon. Some I managed to get in time, but others were too late. They inject drugs into their system to stop their heart, that's what could have happened to your Emolga if you hadn't come along."

Mark picked up Emolga and held her at eye-level. Emolga froze. "Is what she saying is true?"

Emolga nodded. _"Yes."_

Mark hugged Emolga and rubbed her ears, and Emolga hugged back.

Plusle turned to Smugleaf and said, _"After Mark picked Emolga, we were taken away and cared for. We were spared the death sentence. Weeks and months later we found ourselves at the Faraday City Elementary School for a science fair. We were the grand price, me and Minun both. The scientist wanna get rid of us, I don't think they ever liked us."_

"What did they say?" Mark asked.

Smugleaf translated for them.

"Oh, I remember that all too well. I won first place. I had the talent for technology and electricity, my peers didn't. That was how I won these two Cheering Pokémon, I cherished them ever since."

"What was your project?" Tesla asked.

Mark replied, "A Tesla coil. I made it out of scrap metal and wires. It was like putting together a puzzle. Not only did it shoot out electricity, it is also an ozone generator. So the victory was a one-two punch. My friends didn't talk to me for weeks. They were all jealous."

Smugleaf nodded. "And you cared for them ever since?"

"Yes," said Mark. "I loved my Pokémon, that's why I flipped out at Nobark and Tesla earlier. I can't believe Tesla persuaded him to lock me in here."

"I'm not supposed to do this, you know," said Smugleaf. "Nobark wouldn't care a bit, but Tesla . . . Look, I'm not going to lie to you. I'm a sex addict and I don't care what gender any Pokémon is."

Mark's eyes bulged open, then confusion took hold. "So you're that messed up?"

Smugleaf frowned, a bit offended. "I had a trainer just like you. A little older than you but just as loving. I loved her dearly. Long story short, she was killed and eaten by a Houndoom. I lost it, and everywhere I go I seduced Pokémon, then kill and eat them. Tesla was familiar with that kind of Pokémon, so he warned me not to get near your Pokémon. He said he'll spay me if he found out." Then she added, "He's a very authorative Pikachu, Mark. I fear him, he came close to killing me a few times in the past few days. I'm scared of him, really. Nobark is scared of him. He walks around like he owns the place."

"Yes," said Mark. "Nobark just told me about his grievances with him. That part of him I can trust, but the other parts I'm not sure."

"The other parts of him don't like you," said Smugleaf. "Wotter, the Dewott around here . . . He will gladly kill you when given the order. The real Nobark wouldn't care one bit, but that irrational part would flip and order you dead. I can't help you when that happens, but I can get your Pokémon to safety, assuming Tesla doesn't electrocute me of course."

"So are my Pokémon spared?" Mark asked.

"If you die, do you even know what would happen to your Pokémon. Sadness, yes. Depression, yes. But they _will _change into something you won't recognize. A lot of the PRA were Pokémon like yours until their trainers either die or turn against them. That is what we're dealing with here, Mark. The PRA wants a better life, and it was either denied or taken away from them."

Mark said nothing, he turned and stared to the wall. Then shook his head. "What is Tesla doing, anyway?"

"He's trying to give the PRA that better life, then take Nobark down. Nobark understands this, but what he doesn't understand is how bad things really are. He had done a lot of bad things, Mark. A pardon won't do him good. He's sick. I knew Nobark a long time and he's a good friend, but he's dying. He's old and he's dying. And I just don't know when." Smugleaf shook her head. "It's getting late now, I need to get your Pokémon back. They're sleeping at the command bunker, in the den. If Tesla finds out they're gone all kinds of sh*t will break loose."

Mark said nothing. He stared at the wall for a moment, then turned back toward Smugleaf. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"Emolga's my oldest friend. She trusts me, and I'm not going to watch her suffer if you get taken out of the picture. The PRA is unstable, Mark, and you need someone you can trust."

Mark nodded. "I'm not sure if I could ever trust Tesla, but I have no say on that matter. He's my grandfather's oldest friend. Despite that, he has been a scumbag to me ever since I met him," he turned and put a hand on Mark's Pikachu's head. "But that was because he was denied love. He had a mate, a long time ago. There's some video footage of him singing to her. If you want relief from Tesla, you gotta play that song to him and the entire PRA. Remind them all that he used to be just like him, then use your influence to make him more of a friend than an authority figure."

Smugleaf said, "That I might try to do, but I can't guarantee it."

"I told Nobark the same thing, he wants Tesla broken."

Mark kissed his Pokémon on their forehead. "Okay, you guys go to bed. Don't worry about me, I'll be right here. Whatever happens, remember that I love you guys."

_"I love you, Mark," _said Emolga.

_"Love you," _said Pikachu.

_"Love you," _said Plusle and Minun in unison.

Mark let his Pokémon go they all rushed out of the cell. Smugleaf extend a vine and wrapped it around the door's handle. "I'll do what I can."

"I suppose you will."

Smugleaf closed the door and stuck the latch back on, then turned to Emolga. _"You have anything to say?" _she asked.

Emolga shook her head. _"No, I'm just glad I get to see you again."_

Smugleaf hugged Emolga and kissed her yellow cheek. _"I'm going to try to make sure you're okay, I don't know how but I'm going to try."_

_ "You're going to need Tesla's help," _said Emolga. _"There's no way around him."_

_ "We'll figure something out."_

Smugleaf and Mark's Pokémon walked down the corridor. The Grass Snake Pokémon opened the door and stepped back out into the night. She held the door open for the others and then shut it.

Nobark was leaning against the wall, waiting for them.

**. . .**

For the past fifteen years, Nobark had ruled over legions of Pokémon. All believe in his cause. All ever so loyal. On occasion there would be a few Pokémon who would disobey his orders. The usual was treason. Once in a while a Pokémon would decide that the PRA no longer served their interest. That was understandable. Fort Wernher was dull, almost nothing goes on around here. Yes, there would be the occasional party. But there were no music, no TV, and there wasn't even a single computer with internet access. They focus mostly around food and beer, which the reserves were mostly dry. But lack of entertainment was no incentive for a Pokémon to turn against those who trust it. Nobark had to act. And so he had them executed. He had Wotter do the deed, and when he does, blocked out his mind to the scene, effectively moving several seconds of memory to be stored in a personality that suits it.

Smugleaf was the most loyal of all of the PRA, sitting just above Wotter. Every time Nobark gave her a task, she does it. Over the years she became more of a close friend than an insubordinate. She helped him in personal issues like trying to locate his PA pills. One time he passed out from drinking too much and Smugleaf got him back to the command bunker safely. She even stayed behind and nursed him through the hangover. Though that was Tendon's job, and she wasn't particularly happy, Smugleaf did well in taking care of him.

After fifteen years of loyalty, it all came down to this.

The Grass Snake Pokémon stood petrified. Mark's Pokémon huddled behind her, as if she would provide some form of protection. No, that won't happen. Nobark simply stared at her, and she stared back. For a full minute, there was only silence in the cold night.

"I had an Emolga as a friend once," said Nobark. "His name was Flashlight. He was a wild one. Loves to play at day, loves to chat at night. He wouldn't sit down, wouldn't stop to rest. Irvin had to pin him down one time when he got _too _wild. Nonetheless, we all liked him, even Tesla had a heart for him."

Smugleaf said nothing.

Nobark sighed. "Irvin only had him for three weeks or so, then our world came crashing down. Literally. Flashlight climbed a tree while everybody was playing in the backyard. He fell and gashed himself on a branch. His belly split open and his innards went everywhere. He was bleeding, dying before our very eyes. We didn't know sh*t on what to do. We all knew what was going to happen if we did nothing."

Smugleaf mustered up the courage and asked, "What happened?"

"Irvin brought out the gun, a .357 magnum. Powerful. Strong. Loaded with hollow-points. It would turn Flashlight's brain to jelly. Just before he shot him, he turned to all of us and said, 'You think this is easy for me!?' We were all silent, I was silent, Tesla was silent. Much like you now."

Smugleaf said nothing.

"He handed the gun to me first because I was the closest to him, he asked me to shoot him, just to prove his point on how hard it is. I held up the gun to him, the hammer pulled back," Nobark shook his head. "Oh, Smugleaf. His eyes, I could never forget his eyes!"

Smugleaf said nothing.

"I just couldn't do it," he finally says. "I couldn't shoot him. I dropped to my knees and just broke down. I shed real tears that day, big globes of them. I never felt so much grief in my entire life until Irvin's own death."

"What happened to Flashlight?"

"I handed the gun to Tesla," said Nobark. "He shot him square in the eye. No hesitation. No emotion. It was like Flashlight was nothing to him."

Smugleaf glance at the ground for a moment, her brain struggling to process what she just learned. She turned back to Nobark and asked, "Did he feel anything?"

"No, or at least not initially. He said he cried a little when he was burying Flashlight. Oh yes, he buried him. Spent all day digging Flashlight's grave. Tesla dropped him in the ground by around sundown. He simply took a shower and went to bed, he never told me he cried that night until a few weeks after the event, when other problems started surfacing."

Smugleaf said nothing.

"Smugleaf," said Nobark. "I'm not saying this as your leader, I'm saying this as your friend. What you did here tonight is what the PRA is about. Equal rights as humanity, Mark's treatment of his Pokémon proved that. I had never seen a trainer with such loyalty since Irvin. I'm proud of you for that."

Smugleaf breathed out, relaxed.

"But I fear for you," he added. "You went against Tesla's wishes, and if he finds out I cannot protect you. I am no match for the Master of Electricity."

"Then what can we do?" Smugleaf asked.

"I'll think of something, I got a plan brewing but I'm not sure if it's going to work," then he turned to Mark's Pokémon and said in Pokémon speech. _"Let's get you guys to bed, I don't wanna spoil your moment any further."_

_ "Thank you, Nobark," _Mark's Emolga muttered.

Nobark placed his hand on Emolga's shoulder. She looked up, surprised. _"Be strong, Emolga. I can't ask much from you, but only this: Your trainer built a life for you and your friends. What he created can also be recreated by you. The PRA needs your help, Emolga. Mark had given you all the love and compassion in the world. Can you do the same for the Pokémon here?"_

Emolga shook her head. _"I don't know where to start."_

_ "The raid, of course. We need fruit to bear juice, aye?"_

Nobark escorted Smugleaf and Mark's Pokémon back to the command bunker. Swoo II flew down and Nobark dismissed him, saying to keep to the skies but keep a close eye on them. When Swoo II flew off, Nobark and Smugleaf helped Mark's Pokémon got comfortable. He brought in two blankets, he handed one to the Cheering Pokémon and the other to Emolga and Pikachu. They shared the blankets, huddling together and sleeping into each other's arms. Nobark then dismissed Smugleaf and she head back to the elite bunker, but not before giving him a hug. Both Pokémon head to bed and slept well for the rest of the night.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	19. Chapter 19

_Chapter 19_

When the internal-clock in Tesla's head went off, he sat up and stared into the darkness of the room. He waited for a moment, then got up and flicked on the light switch. Florescent tubes flickered on, stinging his eyes. Tesla stretched his arms and legs, popped several joints, then swung his tail around to loosen it. Last night was long and hard. He slept well, feeling a bit good this morning. Tesla glanced up at the clock, again the hands won't move. The old Pikachu stepped out of his bedroom and peaked out the door of the command bunker. The sun was just starting to inch over the trees, the day had started. He went back to his bedroom and grabbed the Pokémon Center toothbrush from the table, tore it out of its packet and added toothpaste to it, then brushed his teeth for three minutes. He went back outside and spat on the ground, then headed back to his bedroom again and tossed the toothbrush back on the table. Tesla discovered the knob on his bedroom door was chrome plated, he went up to it and checked his teeth.

As always, whatever teeth he had left was still there, brown and rotten. Amazing his system hadn't rejected them yet.

Tesla went back to the conference room to see if Smugleaf was there, she wasn't. The old Pikachu then went to Nobark's bedroom. The Scrafty was still there. Facedown on his cot, sleeping soundly. Tesla smiled and quietly closed the door.

Finally he checked up on Mark's Pokémon. Swoo II was gone. At first he thought they might be in trouble, but they were still there. All four Pokémon were under blankets, still sleeping soundly. Tesla knew better not to wake them. If Mark's Pokémon are still sleeping, let them sleep. Waking them will cause them to cry. Might as well let them sleep, but it was best to leave some food out in case they wake up. Tesla walked to the fridge and got out some MRE's. There were just six left, and only one water bottle remaining. He sat them on the coffee table. One in front of each Pokémon, the water bottle simply placed at the center. Tesla walked up to his great-granddaughter and stroked her ears. A smile formed on her face, she let out a soft coo as she changed sleeping positions.

He left the room and stepped back outside. Cool forest air flooded his lungs. The old Pikachu stood there a moment, staring out across Fort Wernher. The whole place was a ruin. The concrete buildings needed to be painted. Trash was piling up everywhere. Some patches of grass needed to be cut. Most importantly, the PRA needed an incentive to keep the place in top condition. Tesla couldn't understand why the PRA were miserable, yet they do nothing to make their lives better.

But that was going to change.

At the corner of his eye, he saw Wotter jogging in from the back, maybe just coming through from the broken gate. His toes dug into the ground, his tail whipping up and down as he jogged. His sky-blue fur was covered with thick sweat and dust. Whatever temper he had was exerted out of his system, so he must be calm enough for today.

Tesla made his approach, and almost instantly Wotter locked onto him immediately. He stopped short of the elite bunker and turned to him. His hands relaxed, his face in its assertive expression. _"You're up awfully early," _he said.

Tesla asked in Pokémon speech, _"What time is it?"_

_ "Six-oh-clock."_

_ "How can that be early?"_

_ "The PRA don't get up until seven-thirty."_

_ "I'm not PRA, I'm WA."_

Wotter raised an eyebrow, _"WA?"_

_ "Westinghouse Army. I'm its general and Nobark is my colonel. Therefore he is under my command, and since he runs the PRA, you are all under my command. Are we clear?"_

Wotter stared at him flabbergasted, then nodded. _"Yeah, we're clear."_

Tesla asked, _"How much did you like your trainer before he turned?"_

_ "Dearly," _Wotter grunted.

_"I never liked mine."_

_ "Good for you."_

_ "He was an idiot, like the one you dragged into that jail."_

Wotter said nothing.

_"Irvin Westinghouse created a political theory, a concept. He treated his Pokémon like human beings and he gave his Pokémon all the basic needs. Lots of food, lots of beer, TV, radio, and later, videogames and internet. This concept is what Nobark is trying to recreate, which is why you are here."_

_ "I joined the PRA because Nobark was my friend," _said Wotter. _"I owe him a lot."_

_ "Then you best pay him. He's doing a poor job recreating the conditions Irvin invented, you know why?"_

_ "The humans blocked us in."_

Tesla shook his head. _"This has nothing to do with humanity, that's Nobark's problem."_

_ "Then what is it?"_

_ "You're not working for it," _said Tesla. _"Smugleaf's not working for it, the inner circle is not working for it. And f*ck, the PRA is not working for it. Let me guess, you expect Nobark to give you a better life, right?"_

_ "I did. I saw what he done and thought he couldn't do more."_

Tesla nodded. _"He can't do more, but you can. It would be a lot better than sitting in your room all day."_

Wotter said nothing.

_"Have you ever been to Springfield before?" _

_"No, never set foot in it."_

_"Go to Springfield, right now. Head over to the Pokémon Center and get a shower and eat breakfast. Get a feel of the place, figure out where everything is. You can try sweet-talking the Audino, see what you could get out of it."_

_ "Last night you said the Audino is a male," _said Wotter.

_"I said it _moved _like a male, I didn't say it is a male."_

Wotter nodded. _"Fair enough."_

Tesla added, _"And after your fur's clean and your belly's full, take a moment and sleep on their beds. You need it, Wotter. From all the complaints I've been hearing about you, I can tell you need something more than beer and exercise."_

The Discipline Pokémon looked up at the sky, then turned back to Tesla. _"What am I supposed to learn from this?"_

_ "Note what the Pokémon Center has and what the PRA doesn't, then come back by sundown."_

Wotter's face remained unchanged, but he seemed interested. Had to be, his fur was covered in grime and it would start to itch soon. _"Okay, Tesla. I'll go over."_

_ "Don't come back 'till you're feeling comfortable about yourself."_

Wotter turned toward the warehouse and walked off. Tesla waited a few seconds then walked to the infirmary. He let himself in. Nothing had changed since the last time he was here, and nothing moved either. The usual garbage, the bloody operating table, the dirty infirmary beds. Tesla walked up to Tendon's door and knocked. Again, no response at first. He knocked a second time. Again, something stirred inside like last time and the door opened. _"You're up awfully early," _said Tendon.

_"Wotter said the same thing, you want the same speech?"_

_ "No," _said Tendon. _"Just what do you want?"_

_ "You taking inventory, if you haven't already. Then start moving all the trash in this building into a pile outside the infirmary. I'm going to get some Pokémon to dispose of it all."_

_ "When?" _

_ "After breakfast, today, and it's going to happen fast so you best be taking care of trash before noon."_

The Hearing Pokémon cracked a smile, probably thinking about the promised reward after the raid. _"Judging by the need of space for loot," _she said. _"I'll get started on it right away."_

_ "Be quick. More space, more loot."_

Tesla left the infirmary and head to the barracks. Most of the PRA in Fort Wernher were concentrated here. Higher level status would have PRA members sleeping in various buildings, according to their respective duties. But that was the inner circle. Two of which were Nobark's henchmen, the other two keep the base functioning. The inner circle aristocracy rule over the rest of the PRA. Wotter uses abuse to enforce his power, and Tendon charges the PRA to do certain deeds. They get all the good stuff. The average conscript would get the sh*tty end of the deal. Cramped space, stuffy air, expired food, unsafe drinking water, and maybe even disease if they were that unlucky.

Until today.

The old Pikachu barged in, the ceiling lights came on like blast furnaces. The conscripts sleeping in their bunks scrambled out and flopped to the floor. Pokémon pushed and shoved each other, knocking them into each other and into bunk bed frames. Grunts and squeals and soft cries filled the room. They were rudely awaken and annoyed, but loyal.

_"If you're a ground-type," _Tesla called out. _"Front and center!"_

The ground types came almost immediately. A Drilbur, a Sandile, and a Sandshrew. They stood front and center, shaking nervously.

_"You know Dig?" _Tesla asked.

Dig was a ground-type move in Pokémon battling. The user would bore a hole into the field to escape their opponent, they then wait for a few seconds before erupting out of a random spot in a field for a surprise attack. All three ground-type Pokémon nodded, then Tesla said, _"Now the fire-types!"_

A Tepig, two Pansears, a Pignite, and a Magby scrambled out of the crowd. Altogether made five fire-types. They were more nervous than the ground-types, maybe it was because the ground-types were immune to electric attacks and they were not. Tesla stuck his thumb over his shoulder. _"Outside, now."_

Quickly they ran out of the barracks and stood in formation. Tesla whistled and waited. The ground and fire-types stood there, murmuring to themselves on what Tesla was doing. Within twenty seconds a shadow flashed overhead, then a Swoobat hovered above.

_"Name?" _Tesla asked.

_"Swoo III," _said the Courting Pokémon.

Tesla said, _"Head over to north of Fort Wernher and look for a clearing within walking distance. If you see one, fly down and see if it has enough space for a large crowd. If it does, fly back and inform me."_

_ "Yes, Tesla!"_

_ "You got ten minutes."_

Swoo III flew up and out toward north and disappeared out of sight, Tesla waited. After seven minutes of silence Swoo III came back and said, _"I found one!"_

_ "Great, lead the way," _Tesla then turned to the fire and ground-types. _"Follow me and stay close, and don't piss around."_

They nodded nervously, but said nothing.

**. . .**

Rex headed southwest toward Carbondale. He was nervous, scared out of his mind. The situation back at Soho had been tense ever since the Soho PD drove Tesla and his friends out. Rex decided to take a few days off, given the circumstances. He got into his car and drove through the southern checkpoint, got his GPS cuff removed a second time, drove south, then banked west toward Carbondale. His hand unconsciously felt the Poké balls containing Sara and Volts. They were safe, but they were just as frightened. He needed to get them out, they couldn't take Soho anymore.

When he approached Carbondale, the first thing he did was check the nearby hotels. He asked the clerk if there were any Ash Ketchum's checked in. The clerk gave him the logbook, listing all the names of those who had checked into the hotel. He found one hotel with three recently checked in, Ash Ketchum's signature was clear to read in the log book. Rex smiled, Ash's room number was twenty-two, the Pikachu's Pokédex number. Either it was a coincidence or not, it was something to take note of.

He thanked the clerk and head outside. Rex walked up to room twenty-two and knocked. Right away the door opened and Ash stepped forward. "Rex!" he cried.

"Good to see you, Ash," he said. "I was worried.

Cilan and Iris made their approach. "Hello, Rex," said Cilan.

"Hi, Rex," said Iris.

"Axew!" Axew chirped in Iris's purple hair.

Pikachu leaped up from behind and sat on Ash's shoulder. He was still a little demoralized from the Soho incident, but he was happy to see him. The Mouse Pokémon managed a smile, but said nothing.

"What are you doing here, Rex?" Ash asked.

"Went to check up on you," said Rex. "You look like you made it out okay."

"Had you heard from Tesla?"

Rex shook his head. "No, I haven't seen or heard from him since I last dropped him off near Fort Wernher. Until we hear from him, we're going to have to wait."

"What about Mark?"

"Haven't heard from him at all, he must have went into hiding."

"Can you find him, Rex?" Iris asked worriedly.

"Ew?" Axew asked as well.

"I'll try to pick up his trail, but I can't guarantee that I can find him. He was superior in POW school. If Mark does not wanna be found, he is not going to be found."

"Surely he left a trail," said Ash.

"He probably did, which is what I'm going to try to pick up all day. Would you head over to Carbondale's Pokémon Center and wait there? Knowing Mark, he would love to get free clothes and a shower from their restrooms."

Ash nodded. "Sure, I'll head over there."

"Pikachu," Pikachu chirped.

Rex sat his hand on Ash's shoulder. "If the police ask you anything about Mark. Deny all knowledge of it. If they figure you're a known associate, they're going to keep coming back to grill you. Trust me, they won't relent once they saw the bushes move."

"I'll do my best."

Rex nodded. "I'll see you around sundown."

He left Ash and walked around Carbondale. Rex asked every store owner, every restaurant manager, every pedestrian, and a police officer. He gave them all Rex's description: Tall guy. Raven hair. Lean. An Emolga with brown fur on his shoulder. Some pedestrians claimed to have seen a tall guy with a brown furred Emolga, but with a different hairstyle and clothing.

One store owner claimed to have met him, but not as Mark Kissinger. Instead the name was Max Pane, and he pretty much fit most Mark's profile. Rex asked for more information, the clerk refused until Rex handed him a fifty dollar bill. The clerk said that Mark/ Max had bought a hunting knife and a pocketknife before walking off into the night. Rex thanked him and left the store.

He started checking hotels for the name of Max Pane who stayed for one night days ago. He found nothing. Mark's trail seemed to have gone cold, like he'd dropped off the face of the planet.

Rex squinted his eyes, he thought long and he thought hard. Mark was obviously covering his tracks. Why wouldn't he? The Soho PD had not alerted the URP authorities so there wasn't a warrant out for his arrest. But he didn't know that. He was convinced he was a wanted man.

_So what now? _

Suddenly an idea hatched in Rex's head. Just a hunch, but it put him back on the trail. He went back through the hotels for a third time. The clerks were getting annoyed, and one clerk threatened to call the police. For the hotels he got access again, he checked the log books for anyone a few days ago who had stayed for one night. Ironically, he struck gold at Ash's hotel. A man the name of Joe Fisher had apparently paid for one night three days ago.

His room number just so happened to be twenty-two.

The same as Ash's room number.

Rex pointed at the name. "Does Joe Fisher had an Emolga on his back?"

The clerk, a fifty-something year old man, said nothing.

Rex forked out a hundred Pokédollar bill. "An Emolga?"

"Yes," said the man. "He did have an Emolga on his shoulder."

"Is this Emolga a shiny sprite with brown fur?"

Again, no response.

Again, Rex forked out another bill. This time a fifty.

"Yes, it's fur was brown."

"Did he say where he was going?"

The man shook his head. "He checked in and out without saying a word. He looked like an army type, but the only military base near here is Fort Wernher. But Wernher's been mothballed, now it is infested with degenerate Pokémon."

Rex lay down another fifty. That was two hundred Pokédollars total. "Thank you, sir."

He left the hotel and sat down on the curb. Rex sighed. If Mark was indeed heading to Fort Wernher, then he must be in trouble. Who knows, maybe he was killed. But he couldn't know for sure.

_Best-case scenario, he breaks down in tears of joy, _Tesla had said._ Worse-case scenario, he kills me._

_But which one had happened? _Rex thought. _Is either of them alive?_

**. . .**

After Swoo III led Tesla and his small team to the site, he inspected it. The clearing was large, but a lot of vegetation was in the way. Shrubs, ferns, and wild grass covered the clearing. It was a healthy patch of land. Well, not healthy any longer. Tesla pointed to the path and said to the ground-types, _"Clear out this area. Strip all vegetation in the clearing and trim the branches of the trees. Make this clearing a good clear circle. Then dig a large pit almost the width of the clearing and dump all the uprooted vegetation into the pit. Fire-types, you wait on my signal before you light that pit up. Don't start it without me."_

Both the fire-types and ground-types nodded.

_"Now get to work."_

Tesla left them at it and head back to Fort Wernher. He walked back to the barracks and stuck his head through the door. _"If you got any trash, pile it up outside! Now!"_

The Pokémon Resistance Army scrambled. They grabbed whatever garbage they could find. Bags of junkfood, soda cans, some beer bottles, used tissues, discarded batteries, broken glass. They hauled everything they could find and started dumping it into a pile. Tesla then checked up on Tendon. Already she had finished inventory and was starting to pile up garbage. She moved, panting hard, her belly giggling up and down with each step. The Hearing Pokémon wasn't in the best shape of her life but that wasn't stopping her. Tesla smiled, that reward was on her mind.

_Incentives, _Tesla thought. _The key to economic growth._

But of course, economics would come later.

Tesla walked to the elite bunker and found Smugleaf in her bedroom. She was chatting to Bubbles, they looked like they were in the mood of doing something. "I got a task for you guys," said Tesla.

"What is it, Tesla?" Smugleaf asked.

Tesla pointed toward the floor. "Clear out this room of all trash and pile it outside. Today, this hour."

"Right now?"

"Yes, right now! Hop to it, girl!"

Smugleaf leaped up off her bed and started scooping out trash, Tesla shot a look at Bubbles. _"You help her, Bubbles!"_

_ "Aye, sir!" _Bubbles chirped. She hopped off the bed and started scooping up arm-fulls of trash.

Tesla left the elite bunker door open and headed toward the command bunker. He walked into the den and found Mark's Pokémon up and ready. Their MRE packets were empty, the water bottle completely drained. _"I'm going to put you guys to work," _said Tesla. _"If you don't wanna feel so miserable, then clean up this place and make it look less depressing. Got it?"_

Mark's Pokémon stared at him.

_"All the trash in this den right here. Grab it all and pile it outside. Get started, right now!"_

Mark's Emolga whined. _"Aw, but Tes-"_

_ "Don't Tes me, furball. We need a lot of space cleared up and the smell is getting on my nerves. Move, now, or I'll zap your rear end!"_

Mark's Pokémon jumped off the couches and started scooping up trash. Finally, he head to Nobark's bedroom. He opened the door and found Nobark lying face down on the floor. His elbows were bent. His palms outstretched. His legs straight with his toes pointed down. The Hoodlum Pokémon was attempting a push up. He put in all his strength and pushed himself up. _"One," _he muttered. Then he collapsed, face down, groaning.

"Get up, Nobark," Tesla ordered.

The Hoodlum Pokémon jumped up and snapped into attention. "I wasn't doing anything wrong, Tesla!" he yelped.

"Look around," said Tesla. "The one thing you're doing wrong is piling up trash! You're harboring who-knows-what kind of diseases in there! This is a militia fort, not a landfill! So hop to it and clear all the trash in this room and the command bunker and pile it up outside."

Nobark started to whimper, so Tesla walked up to him and seized him by the throat. He pulled him down to eyelevel and hissed into his ear. "You want my help, right?"

"Yes, I want your help! No, I _need _your help! I'm a mess, Tesla. A mess!"

"Then pull yourself back together by cleaning up your room and your bunker! And work fast, we have a tight schedule!"

"Yes, Tesla! Of course, of course!"

The Mouse Pokémon let go of Nobark and he scrambled toward the nearest mountain of trash. He crashed into the pile, the mountain toppled over and dumped empty beer cans and potato chip bags all over him. When he vanished into the trash pile, Tesla left the command bunker and headed back to the dig site.

**. . .**

Wotter stood at the edge of Springfield. The place looked dull and ugly. To him the place looked like a snake, bulging buildings and smaller streets from its black middle. He had seen few automobiles and no motorcycles. Like all towns, Springfield was built for walking distance. The Discipline Pokémon took a deep breath and exhaled. No sh*tdicks and crybabies to worry about. This was going to be his day. Alone.

_"I'd thought I meet you here," _said a voice.

Wotter turned around, it was Woody. He was leaning against a rock, smiling at him. _"The transformers, right?" _he asked.

_"Yeah, and you?"_

_ "Public service buildings."_

Woody nodded. _"Have fun."_

_ I'll try, _Wotter thought, but didn't say. Instead he gave Woody a nod and headed right. The Muscular Pokémon head straight, he didn't look back.

The Discipline Pokémon found the Pokémon Center Tesla was talking about. He wasn't impressed. A lot of glass and a lot of plaster, same as almost every building in the modern world. But he did have to admit, the Pokémon Center looked new and clean. Professional, ready to take Pokémon in and care for them. Wotter did a three-sixty and looked around. There were few pedestrians about, but they showed no interest in him. They kept on walking to wherever they walked to every morning. Wotter stepped inside the Pokémon Center and looked around. No Nurse Joy visible, but there was an Audino in the back. It was reading a newspaper, which puzzled Wotter, since he knew few Pokémon who can read. Then again, Audinos were the most educated Pokémon in Unova.

The Hearing Pokémon looked up as Wotter approached. _"Any services today?" _it asked.

_"A shower," _said Wotter.

The Audino stuck its thumb toward the men's room. _"Restroom, help yourself to the shampoo."_

_ This Audino sounds male, _Wotter thought. _Well, so much for charming it._

Wotter walked into the restroom and saw the showers. There were dispensers for shirts, underwear, and socks. Along with shampoo bottles and toothbrushes and toothpaste. They were built into the wall near the door. In the back were the showers and toilets, each divided up into concrete booths. Wotter looked up at the shampoo dispenser. He couldn't read the labels, they were just meaningless letters to him. Luckily they had symbols and pictures. One of the selections had pink bubbles on them. _Bubblegum, _Wotter thought. Bubbles, that sh*tdick. He growled and purge the thought out of his mind. Eventually he found a shampoo with the pictures of sliced watermelons on it. Wotter stared at it. He liked watermelons, maybe Tesla would help get him some for the raid. The Discipline Pokémon pressed it and a small shampoo bottle popped out of the dispenser. Wotter grabbed it and unscrewed the cap and smelled it. Yup, definitely watermelon.

He went to the back of the showers and walked into the one at the corner. He pulled the curtain closed and stared at the knobs. There was a single lever. A sky-blue stripe covered the right while a red stripe covered the left. _Hm, looks simple enough. _Wotter grabbed the lever and twisted it one-eighty degrees around the halfway point. A blast of cold water struck him from above. He clenched his teeth. His skin prickled and his body was shaking. Wotter froze for a moment. The cold water slowly transcend to lukewarm within seconds and he relaxed. Wotter stepped out of the spray and dumped all the shampoo onto his fur, he dropped the empty bottle and cap onto the floor and lathered the shampoo all over his body. He got his arms and legs, then torso and face. He even lathered his tail, it had been a long time since he washed it.

Once he was white with suds, Wotter stepped back into the spray and washed it all off. The water went from lukewarm to pleasantly warm. Somehow the tension he always felt was wearing off. Thick tsunamis of soap washed down his face and legs, taking years worth of grime and dirt with it. Wotter opened his mouth and let the spray pour into him. The water tasted rough, yet it was clean and fresh. The Discipline Pokémon always felt thirsty and he never trusted the water the scavengers always scrounge up. Mostly because it was used for bathing, and some idiot Pokémon mixed bath water with the drinking water. Wotter can trust Pokémon Center water, humanity always gets it right.

He drank until his belly was full of water, and that surprised him, feeling full. Wotter hadn't felt full since the last dinner he had with his trainer. But back then he had an appetite, these days he almost never felt hungry, and therefore, never felt full. However this wasn't a real fill, he could tell. He burped and the full feeling went away.

Wotter shut off the shower and stepped out. He headed back to the wall of dispensers and found one that dispenses towels. There was a sky-blue towel sticking out. Wotter pulled it out and unfold it. It feels like a throwaway, it was thin enough to suggest otherwise. He wiped his fur down until all the excess water was off, then tossed the towel in the nearby trash bin. He then raised an arm and smelled his armpit. Most of his body odor was gone, just a faint trace of it remained. _So this is what that clean feeling feels like, _he thought. _I don't even feel angry as much._

He stepped out of the restroom. The Audino was still there, reading the newspaper. _"Is there anything to eat around here?" _he asked.

"_Feel like eating water-type Pokémon food?" _The Audino asked without looking up from its newspaper.

"_Yeah."_

The Audino folded up the newspaper and set it aside. _"Give me a moment, I'll be right with you."_

Wotter took a seat at the nearby couch and waited. After five minutes, the Audino returned with a Pokémon bowl full of pellets. The Hearing Pokémon sat it on the couch and said, _"Here you go, enjoy."_

The Discipline Pokémon nodded. _"Thanks."_

The Audino returned back to its spot and picked up its newspaper. Wotter scooped up some pellets and stared at them for a moment, then popped them into his mouth. It tasted just what he remembered Pokémon food used to be. A bit good, yet dull. But then again, he kinda missed Pokémon food, it was the usual reward after a battle.

But that was back when he had pride, when he was on top of the world.

Wotter ate the Pokémon food until not a single pellet was remaining, he sat the bowl aside and stretched his arms and legs, then looked up at the TV. It was set to a Pokémon channel, the sound turned off. It was showing something about Pokémon Rangers, or crybaby Pokémon wearing handkerchiefs around their necks. They never appealed to him then, and they won't appeal to him now. _At least the sound is muted, _he thought.

At that moment he noticed the Audino approaching. It adjusted its nurse cap, trying to make sure it was straight. Wotter simply stared at the Hearing Pokémon. When it finally got its cap in the final position, the Audino said, _"You're civil for a wild Pokémon. A lot of Pokémon who come in don't even know how to tie shoes. But you, you walk and behave like a human being. Were you born in captivity?"_

Wotter nodded. _"I was."_

"_Where's your trainer, if you mind me asking?"_

"_He didn't want me anymore, so he tossed me out. End of story."_

The Audino stood there. It wasn't twirling its fingers or bouncing on its feet. Definitely not female, so why was it talking to him?

The Hearing Pokémon asked, _"You've been hanging on alright, friend?" _

_ "I'm living with some Pokémon I knew for a long time, I'm doing fine. I appreciate it if you don't go poking around with my business."_

The Audino covered its mouth. "_Oops, I'm sorry."_

Wotter said, _"And just for the record, I am not your friend. I don't even know you."_

_ "Sorry, Audino habit."_

_ "How am I not surprised?"_

Wotter handed the bowl back to the Audino, the Hearing Pokémon took it and head to the back to wash it. With her back turned, the Discipline Pokémon slipped out of the Pokémon Center unnoticed. _I see why Tendon hates working at Pokémon Centers, _he thought. _Everyone is nosy as f*ck._

**. . .**

The ground-types dug a pit about thirty meters wide and five meters deep. They cleared out the vegetation and trimmed the nearby trees, then tossed the uprooted plants and branches into the hole. The fire-types just stood there, awaiting orders. Tesla came back and checked the pit, he nodded and turned to the fire-types. _"Use Flamethrower on the pit."_

The fire-types nodded. They lined up at the edge of the pit, took a deep breath, and then breathed columns of fire at the shrubs. The plants and branches caught almost immediately. Thick black smoke bloomed into the air as heat and flame erupted from the pit. Tesla managed a smile, then said, _"Keep at it for two hours. Take fifteen minute shifts, then fifteen minute breaks," _he turned to the ground-types. _"Head back to Fort Wernher and start hauling trash into the pit, and be quick, I'll get you guys help while you're at it."_

Tesla headed back to Fort Wernher and checked on the trash pileup. Huge mountains of trash were growing outside of the buildings. There was a hefty pile building outside the elite bunker, an even much larger pile outside the infirmary. But the trash outside of the barracks was the largest. Tesla was flabbergasted, he never had seen so much trash before in his entire life. What was Nobark even doing about it before he came? Tesla turned toward the command bunker. Again, another trash pile was gaining girth. Mark's Pokémon and Nobark were speed walking in and out of the building with arm loads of trash. Already Mark's Pokémon were exhausted, they were sweating profusely and struggling to hold up their weight. They were moving slower and slower with each trip. Nobark on the other hand kept a steady pace. His face showed fright, probably thinking about the punishment Tesla would do if he slacked off. The Hoodlum Pokémon kept a hand clamped to his sagging pelt while his arm was wrapped under a trash bag full of rubbish. He tripped at the door and fell forward. The trash bag went flying, his pelt pulled far enough down to reveal his butt crack. Nobark pulled it back up and grabbed the bag, he tossed it blindly at the pile before running back inside for another load.

The Mouse Pokémon smirked. _Incentives really get an economy rolling._

He went and checked up on Smugleaf, she and Bubbles were tired as well. They were panting, barely holding themselves up. Tesla stepped into Smugleaf's bedroom to see her progress. The trash piles over the tables were gone, replaced by dried puddles of beer and mold. Tesla clenched his teeth and held in his breakfast. He had seen a lot of nasty things, but what was underneath messes was the worst. _Mold, _he thought. _I hate mold._

Tesla swallowed his breakfast back down. He noticed a few empty pizza boxes on the floor. They looked moldy, soaked in grease and beer. The Mouse Pokémon stacked them up and took them outside, then dumped it on the pile. He stopped Smugleaf just as she was jogging past him. _"Smugleaf," _he said. _"How old is this trash?"_

Smugleaf froze for a moment, then said. _"Years old, why?"_

Tesla frowned, then pointed toward the elite bunker. _"You got mold growing on the floors and table, that's why."_

The Snivy said nothing.

_"One problem at a time. Clear out your room of trash, then move on to Wotter's. I don't care if he gets angry about us moving his stuff, I'll sock him if he b*tches. He should be keeping his room clean anyway."_

Smugleaf went back inside for another load of trash. Tesla thought about Wotter's room, recalling how it was almost messy as Smugleaf's. He went in and walked down the corridor, passed the locked door, and opened Wotter's bedroom. It was the same way as Tesla left it. Messy with garbage, stank with stale beer. The old Pikachu felt squeamish when the smell hit him, this time he couldn't hold his breakfast in. He drop to all fours and down the corridor. Bubbles stepped out into the hallway and saw him coming, she jumped back as he breezed past her and out the door. Tesla ran toward the nearest fire pit and puked. Several PRA conscripts took notice and started approaching him, but Tesla stood up and waved them off. _"Get that trash out of here and I'll be okay!" _he barked.

**. . .**

Mark's Emolga couldn't hold herself up. For hours she had been hauling all sorts of garbage out of the command bunker. She saw and touched a lot of yucky things that the thought of a bath was digging deeper into her brain. The Sky Squirrel Pokémon's arms and legs were sore, her back was aching, and most of all her belly was grumbling. Emolga stepped out of the command bunker and dumped another load of trash into the pile. All sorts of activity was going around her. The trash piles were indeed shrinking as ground-type Pokémon were hauling the trash out as fast as she was piling it. She looked up toward the sky, the sun was going down. It was getting darker every second.

But she was not done yet.

Mark's Pikachu limped passed her with another stuffed garbage bag, she heaved it up on top of the pile. It rolled off and came to a stop at the foot of the base. _"You're feeling hungry, too?" _Emolga asked.

The Mouse Pokémon nodded. _"If only we have white spaghetti sauce and noodles."_

Emolga stretched her arms and sat down, she sighed. _"Well that should be everything in the den, and Nobark's bedroom. I think we'll sleep better tonight."_

_ "I want to eat more than sleep, I hadn't ate lunch or dinner yet."_

_ "Me neither."_

Nobark stepped out with another stuffed trash bag. He muscled it out of the command center and tossed it into the pile. Then sighed. _"That's the last of the garbage," _he said. _"I think."_

The Hoodlum Pokémon turned to Emolga and Pikachu, then asked, _"What's wrong?"_

_ "We're hungry," _Emolga whined.

Nobark scratched his cress and nodded. _"We'll get food, better than the MREs around here. I should have gotten this done years ago, but I never got around to it. I had other problems to worry about."_

Mark's Pikachu turned toward the barracks. There were Pokémon standing around it, rubbing their bellies while dumping trash. _"They look hungry too," _she said.

_"They are," _said Nobark. _"They've been working all day, I wonder if our water reserve can hold out for a few more days."_

Nobark turned around and stepped back into the command bunker, groaning on how much his head was hurting.

**. . .**

Mark listened to the activity for hours. According to his Pokédex they were working non-stop from 0800 to 1800. The activity peaked somewhere around afternoon. It was winding down now. The constant chatter of Pokémon voices was decreasing, they might be calling it a night. Mark got up from the concrete cot and looked up at the window. It was high up, but he was tall enough to reach it. He stepped up on the toilet and jumped, grabbing onto the bars with both hands. Using all of his strength, he hoisted himself up peaked out the tiny window. He could see part of Fort Wernher, such as the command bunker. But he couldn't see more.

In front of the command bunker was a pile of trash, and sitting next to it were two of his Pokémon. They look sad, hungry. Mark's heart dropped to his stomach. He worked feverishly to make sure his Pokémon would never have such feelings. And now they were feeling it. He couldn't do anything while in the pen, all he could do was watch them suffer.

_Gotta figure out a plan, _he thought. _But what?_

He jumped down and boot up his Pokédex. Mark checked for phone reception, the words _No Service _was displayed on his screen.

_No Service._

_ Of course, that would be too easy._

Mark ran his hand through his recently cut hair, then laid back on the concrete cot. He wasn't sure what he could do besides wait for Tesla to respond, assuming he would ever respond.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	20. Chapter 20

_Chapter 20_

Smugleaf looked up at the evening sky and saw a column of black soot rising over the trees. The air smelled like burnt plastic and ash. She knew the smell. Smugleaf remembered how the Houndoom that killed her trainer belched such fire. The experience was frightening, the smell reminded her how close she came to dying and how she got here.

The last of the trash was taken away when the sun slipped below the tree line. Smugleaf felt sore. Whatever shampoo smell and cleanliness she got from the Pokémon Center was long gone, replaced by the smell of stale beer and rot. She really needed a bath, a long one as a matter of fact. She went to the water reservoir tank and saw it was drained. The plastic tank's nozzle was on and bone dry. Smugleaf felt her body itched. There won't be any baths tonight.

She walked into the elite bunker and stepped into her bedroom. All the trash was gone, the room looked bare without it. Black puddles of mold and beer stained remained where garbage mountains once stood. No wonder Tesla puked earlier, the smell had gotten to him. Smugleaf was so used to the smell that it became normal. She didn't wanna go near the black mold, didn't wanna look at it. Instead Smugleaf laid down on her bed and tried to rest her eyes.

Bubbles came in, crying. Smugleaf sat up and asked, _"You alright, Bubbles?" _

_"I hadn't had a bath since I got here," _Bubbles cried. _"And now I _really _need a bath!"_

_ "At least all the garbage is gone."_

Bubbles barked, _"The smell is still here, though!"_

The Sea Otter Pokémon cried a waterfall of tears, Smugleaf took her by the hand and hugged her. Bubbles buried her head into Smugleaf's shoulder and her cries muffled, that was the only good she could do for her. _"I'm so dirty!" _Bubbles screamed.

Smugleaf said nothing, as she shared the same problem. Bubbles was more brown than pink. Beer stains and dirt covered her once carefully groomed fur. Her bubblegum scent was almost gone, replaced by the appalling stink. Smugleaf cradled Bubble's head and softly sang into her ear, then hoisted her in bed and turned off the lights. Bubbles practically cried herself to sleep that night.

**. . .**

Wotter had spent all day surveying the public buildings. There wasn't much of interest on the outside of the buildings. The police station had the usual plaster façade. It was a little older than the Pokémon Center, but it had a forest of brand new antennas mounted on the roof. The fire station was much older. It had outer brick walls and wooden garage doors painted a burgundy color. Wotter took his time and kept track of the activities at both public service buildings. There was an Officer Jenny that comes and goes. She parks her motorcycle at the same spot roughly three times throughout the day, goes inside for fifteen minutes, then comes out and drives away. The third time she had left she didn't come back, Wotter assumed she had gone home for the night.

Conclusion: A whole lot of nothing, and maybe that was a good thing. The PRA hadn't tampered with Springfield's activities ever since they rooted themselves in Fort Wernher. Since they weren't busy, Wotter can safely consider there might not be much trouble from law enforcement when the raids take place.

_Assuming the Springfield PD doesn't call the Unova RP, _Wotter thought.

Wotter got up and yawned, he was tired. At least he wasn't grumpy, the shower and food at the Pokémon Center helped a lot. He looked up in the sky and noticed the silhouette of a Swoobat flying around. One of Nobark's. The flying pattern was circular, not random like wild Swoobats. Wotter wasn't sure what Swoobat was this, he was never good at keeping track of them.

The streetlamps around Springfield came on. They glowed bluish-white, casting off a powerful glow that lit up the town like daylight. Wotter was annoyed, he liked darkness better than a lit up world. He walked down the street, looking back occasionally to see if anyone was following. No one around, everyone had gone to bed. Wotter yawned again, he planned on going to bed too.

The Discipline Pokémon left Springfield and made his way through the forest. It was almost pitch black in the woods. The waxing crescent moon gave a soft glow from above, which helped Wotter see a little. He had experience stumbling around in the night, so he had little problem finding his way back. As he drew near Fort Wernher, the air started smelling funny. Wotter sniffed the air, it smelled like gasoline mixed with stale farts, much like the warehouse. Through a gap in the tree canopy, he saw the ghostly outline of a smoke column rising toward the sky. It looked like a controlled fire was burning. Wotter raised an eyebrow. The PRA weren't sophisticated enough to create controlled fires. Was something going on back at base? The Discipline Pokémon paused for a moment and listened to his surroundings. No twigs breaking or leaves shuffling, not even a puff of wind. All was quiet in Fort Wernher's backyard.

When he approached Fort Wernher, he noticed something different. Conscripts were walking around everywhere. More kerosene lamps were burning, giving the entire base a soft white glow. Everyone looked tired and overworked. Wotter noticed a Pansage walked by, he stopped the conscript and asked what was going on.

_"Trash burning," _it said. _"Tesla's orders."_

Oh, everything made sense now.

Wotter sent the Pansage on his way and headed toward the command bunker, he walked in and approached Tesla's door. The room was dark and the old rat was sleeping soundly on his bare bed. Wotter pushed the door in and it creaked. The old Pikachu's eyes fluttered open, letting out a soft moan.

Wotter flipped on the lights as Tesla sat up. _"Hello, Wotter," _he mumbled. _"You're finished with everything at Springfield?"_

_ "Yes," _said Wotter. _"I don't know about Woody though, had he arrived back yet?"_

_ "No, and I'm not worried. He seemed capable of handling himself."_

Wotter asked, _"What's going on around here?"_

_ "I had the PRA throw out all their trash piles and burn them. I had Smugleaf clean her room, and I even had Nobark clean this bunker. Everyone is beat, Wotter, I don't think we're going to have a meeting tonight for the raid," _then Tesla asked, _"So how was the Pokémon Center?"_

_ "Good, the shower and food made me feel like a living being again."_

Tesla nodded. _"Good to hear. Now I had Smugleaf and Bubbles clean out the elite bunker, and yes, I had them clean out your room. All we did was get rid of the garbage, I made sure they don't touch your things."_

Wotter growled. _"You shouldn't have gone through my stuff."_

_ "I wasn't the one digging into your things, Wotter. I had Smugleaf and Bubbles did it, and I made sure they don't touch anything important. Heck, I stood there and watched them the entire time."_

_ Sure you hadn't, _the Dewott thought, but didn't say. Instead, he said, _"Well, as it pains me to say, thank you, for cleaning my room."_

Tesla chuckled. _"If it makes you feel happy, I puked when I got a good whiff of your room. Serves me right from opening your door."_

It didn't made him happy, but it cooled Wotter down a bit. _"Night, Tesla," _he mumbled.

_"Night."_

Wotter turned off the lights and closed the door, then left the command bunker. He let out another yawn. A rather small Pokémon crossed his path. A furry Lilipup or some bird-thing, Wotter wasn't sure, he wasn't paying attention. He simply shoved it aside, knocking it off its feet. It didn't complain, it knew better to complain. Wotter heard the get up and brush itself off, then hobbled away like nothing even happened.

The Discipline Pokémon stepped into the elite bunker, passed Smugleaf's room, passed his makeshift prison cell, then made it to his bedroom door. He opened it and stepped inside. Sure enough the bedroom was clean, save for mold stains. Wotter shut the door and stood in the center of the room. It felt, different, without the garbage. Where he expected there be piles of trash were replaced with grease stains of where trash used to sit. The used gym socks were gone. The empty beer bottles were gone. The used tissues were gone. Heck, even the urine bottles were gone. Did Smugleaf and Bubbles really cleaned everything? Wotter squatted and looked under the bed. His MP5 was still there, but he didn't remember there being an extra magazine and box of ammunition. He stood up and stared at the bed itself. The covers were made, the soft navy-blue comforter carefully straightened and smoothed out. Ready to be sleep in.

Wotter shut off the light and climbed into bed. The smoothed covers made it more comfortable. He yawned a final time then pulled them up to his chin. Wotter took a deep breath and exhaled. He'd forgotten what it was like to be cared for. Before his trainer turned on him, he always cared for him. Though there wasn't much affection to his care. Smugleaf's maid work brought back that feeling, she'd done a thorough job, maybe she or Tesla was generous enough to give him an extra mag and ammo for his gun. Doesn't matter, his private zone was taken care of. More elbow room to flex, and more space to stack more sh*t. He closed his eyes and hugged his pillow, sleep came minutes later.

**. . .**

Mark's Pikachu tossed and turned on the couch. Her energy was spent, yet she couldn't sleep. Her thoughts on Mark were keeping her awake. Eventually she managed to catch some sleep and slipped into a dream. It wasn't pleasant.

In the dream she was back in her homeland of Dixie, and there were poachers everywhere. Guns belch fire, booming across the forest. The smelled like smoke and copper. Her fellow brothers and sisters and cousins scrambled for cover. They were getting slaughtered. She tried to run, but her legs got caught in a net trap. Mark's Pikachu tried to break out, but the net swarmed around her legs, wrapping her with tight knots. She tried to scream, but she had no voice to scream. Pikachu looked up and saw Mark coming to the rescue. He looked like hammered sh*t, as he would put it, carrying a captured hunting shotgun, the barrel red-hot from constant use.

His head exploded just as he turned toward her. Mark's body went limp and collapsed, the shotgun dropped out of his hands and landed beside him. The Dixierats' screams got louder, the gunshots grew closer. She clawed her hands into the grass, even pulling up the roots to break free. No dice. She was stuck.

She turned and saw a poacher coming at him. He had a thick beard and a scar slashed across his face. He raised the butt of the rifle, Pikachu threw up his arms to defend herself.

The butt of the rifle smashed against her forehead.

Then she woke up.

Mark's Pikachu found herself on the floor, her forehead pressing hard on the concrete floor. She got up and rubbed her head, when the pain went away she looked around the room. The den was a lot cleaner now with all the trash gone. Though the counters and floor were filthy, but that can't be helped right now. Emolga and the Cheering Pokémon were sleeping on their backs, they look like they were sleeping well. She raised her hand toward Emolga, thinking about waking her up, but drew it back. She didn't want them to get all cranky, nor did she wanna her cry. She had just gone through a rough day and they had nothing to eat. Mark's Pikachu needed comfort, from someone.

She quietly snuck out of the den and walked toward Tesla's bedroom. Mark's Pikachu quietly opened the door and stepped inside. There he was, sleeping soundly. His face was peaceful as he let out soft snores under his breath. Mark's Pikachu quietly closed the door and climbed on the bed with Tesla. She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face against his chest. Unconsciously her great-grandfather wrapped his arms around her, then purred under his breath. Mark's Pikachu smiled. She felt protected, safe. She always had trusted her life in Tesla's hands. She grew up listening to the tales about him from her mama, who heard it from her mama, who heard it from Polly. Through the generation line, her elders told her about the legendary Pikachu with powers stronger than a god. Rumor has it that he had so much power built up he could split the world in two. No one knew exactly how Tesla got such energy. Through the generation line, Polly had said he would soon be their protector and savior.

Which he eventually fulfilled Polly's promise, but there was a catch.

Tesla was a harsh, dictator-like individual. With good reason. He had lost so many loved ones in his life that he had shut himself in, and the Dixierats' childish behavior wasn't doing him any favors. Even though Tesla helped saved her life when she was caught in a Pikachu trap, he was impatient with her and didn't wanna hear her complaining.

But still, he was the legendary Pikachu her mama had told her about. Not the kind of Pikachu whose affectionate, but still caring enough to love her.

Mark's Pikachu shut her eyes and fall back to sleep with ease. The sleep was dreamless, at least it was better than nightmares.

**. . .**

Morning came around on the fourth day. The first thing Tesla smelled when he woke up was a horrid stench, then the next thing he knew was this familiar soft furry thing in his arms. It was too dark to see, so he traced his hands over the furry thing to get a sense on what it is. The shape was familiar. A quadruped, he guessed. His hands traced over and found the tail, it was zigzagged. Another Pikachu. He traced his hand to the tip and felt an indent with a heart-shaped curvature. Female, he realized. He pulled his hand back up and felt around the Pikachu's torso. It was fleshy, excess fat around the love handles and belly.

Now he knew who it was.

Tesla carefully sat up and squirmed his way off the bed, then flipped the light switch. Sure enough, Mark's Pikachu lay on the bed. At first the old Pikachu thought about kicking her to the floor and berate her for violating his personal space, but shoved the thought out of his mind. He didn't want to rage. She had crawled up into bed with him for a reason, and disciplining her for it was not going to help.

He reached out and shook her with both hands. Mark's Pikachu stirred, she sat up and rubbed her eyes, then turned toward Tesla. _"What was on your mind last night?" _the old Pikachu asked.

Mark's Pikachu blinked, she took a moment to recall last night, then she said, _"I had a bad dream, I wanted someone to hold me. So I climbed into bed with you and went back to sleep."_

_ "Let me guess, was the dream about relatives and loved ones getting killed in the most gruesome fashions ever?"_

She nodded. _"Poachers."_

_ "Welcome to my world."_

Mark's Pikachu jumped off the bed and hugged Tesla, he cradled her head as she buried her face into his shoulder. _"How much do you love, Mark?" _he asked.

_"At the point where I'm romantically in love with him," _she said.

Tesla pushed her back and held up her chin, then looked into her eyes. _"You know what he wants for you and the girls?"_

_ "Affection?" _

_ "Actually, what builds up affection. He wants you to be comfortable, enjoy life at its fullest. This is what we're going to do, we're going to get all sorts of supplies from Springfield and I'm going to let you and the girls get wasted. It would be a little more than what Mark wanted for you guys, but at least his mind will be at ease."_

_ "When are we going on this raid?"_

_ "When we get everybody organized. Look, Nobark sees you as family. I'm not sure about the girls but he definitely views you as a relative. Not by blood, but by association with Irvin. It was actually Irvin who brought the Dixierats to existence, I never actually thought about having children until I met Polly."_

Tesla pulled her back in and hugged her. _"If Nobark charges at you, wrestle him, just like I did the other day. Just wrap your arm around his neck and get the crook of your elbow over his windpipe, then hold on for dear life. He'll squirm like a worm, and he will squeal like a Tepig on a fire pole. Just hang on until he calms down, or when you feel his body go limp, then let go."_

_ "Just why does he charge at you?" _

Tesla shrugged. _"I don't know, Scraggies and Scrafties like to charge and headbutt things if they give them direct eye-contact. It's normal, for some reason."_

The old Pikachu let go and rest his hands on his great-granddaughter's shoulder. _"Let's go check up on everybody. The sooner we get everybody organized with a carefully thought out plan, the sooner we can get this raid over with. Things will get a lot better, but I can't say how better. I hadn't resupplied a militia before, let alone a bunch of Pokémon from the sticks."_

_ "Sticks?" _she asked.

Tesla shrugged again. _"Wild and feral Pokémon mixed in, creating this weird sub-culture. It's like the Dixierats, but much more disorganized and bizarre."_

Mark's Pikachu stared at him.

Tesla smiled. _"Come on, let's go get some MREs for you and the girls or we'll never hear the end of it."_

**. . .**

Rex stayed at the hotel for the night. He had no pajamas, he slept on the bed with his day clothes on. He didn't even bother taking off his shoes, fearing the police might charge in and arrest him. But that didn't happen. He woke up at 7AM in the morning without any difficulties. Rex stripped off his clothes and took a shower, then put them back on. Then he sat down and thought about the meeting he had with Ash at the Carbondale Pokémon Center yesterday.

So far they had a whole lot of nothing. Tesla and Mark was MIA, the police were subtle, and the PRA had yet to react at all. Rex felt like a Lilipup chasing its tail. They were going nowhere with this. He was getting worried, about Tesla, about Mark. He wasn't sure how long he could wait for either of them to show up. Rex ran a hand through his hair and got up. He couldn't stay in the hotel room all day and wallow with the thought all day, he had to do something.

Rex left the hotel room and knocked on Ash's door. The kid himself answered, still wearing his pajamas. "Springfield is the next closest town to Soho," said Rex. "I'm going over there and poke around, will you be okay handling things here?"

"I will," said Ash. "I'll keep an eye on Tesla and Mark if they show up."

_I doubt they will, _Rex thought. He recalled folks who decided to track down the PRA in their home turf. They were usually never heard from again. If they had Pokémon, they were assimilated into the PRA. The same fate could had happened to Mark and his Pokémon, but he was different. Mark had two cards up his sleeve: A Pikachu with relations to Tesla and Irvin's entire databank. But Rex wasn't sure if that was enough to save him, Nobark tended to be irrational, or so he heard.

"Take care, Ash," said Rex.

"Bye."

Rex left the hotel and got into his car, he pulled out of the hotel's parking lot and headed toward Springfield. He crossed Carbondale's town line within minutes.

**. . .**

Nobark's hand twitched vigorously, so he stuffed it in his pouch behind his back. Not technically good, but good enough. He snuck out of the command bunker via back door and jogged along the fence. He couldn't afford to stumble into Tesla, not yet anyway. Nobark needed a sense he was controlling things. This was his PRA after all. But Tesla was his superior, and a part of him hated him for that.

And that part of him was steering his mind at the moment.

He quietly slipped into the elite bunker and knocked on Smugleaf's door. She opened it within seconds. "Smugleaf," he said. "You best go to Carbondale now and track down Ash Ketchum. Gather whatever you can learn and return to Fort Wernher _before _sundown. I need you back for tonight's meeting, okay?"

Smugleaf nodded. "Yes, Nobark."

Nobark sat his hand on Smugleaf's shoulder. "The most important thing here is confirmation that Ash Ketchum is either in Carbondale or Springfield. You take your time, I don't expect you to find him initially, but it would be nice to know where he is," then he asked. "You want leverage over Tesla?"

Smugleaf nodded. "Yes."

"Then do your best. I'll make up a cover story for you if Tesla noticed you're gone."

Smugleaf hugged Nobark and he hugged her back. "We're on a knife's edge, you know," the Snivy said.

"Which makes this extremely important. Now go, Smugleaf. Sneak out the back through the open gate, then loop around Fort Wernher toward Carbondale. I'll keep a lookout for Tesla, but once you're out of Fort Wernher's bounds you're on your own."

Smugleaf let go and nodded. "Aye, sir."

Nobark chuckled. "That's my girl."

The Grass Snake Pokémon blushed for a moment. She took off her knife and holster and hid it under her bed, then jogged down the hall and left through the back entrance. Nobark stuck his head into Smugleaf's room and saw how clean it was. He saw Bubbles lying on her bed, still sleeping off a hard working night. He quietly closed the door and left through the back. Smugleaf was nowhere in sight. Nobark casually walked around the elite bunker and wandered near the barracks. Several conscripts took notice of him, then nodded in respect and he waved back. Nobark then walked out of sight and, after checking anyone was watching, he collapsed on his knees and puked.

He opened his eyes and saw there was blood in his vomit.

His eyes went big, he rubbed his eyes and took a second look.

The blood was gone, nothing but last night's MRE meal.

_"I'm seeing things," _he muttered in Pokémon speech.

_Control the situation, Nobark, _Judgement's imaginary voice echoed in his skull.

_Shut up._

He got back up on his feet and walked away like nothing even happened. But his arm kept shaking, and the irrational thoughts kept swirling around in his brain. Nobark unconsciously walked along the fence of Fort Wernher, then looped back toward the command bunker. Instead of going inside he sat down against the wall and stared at the sky, then tuned his mind out of reality

**. . .**

Tesla stepped outside and found Nobark sitting against the wall. He held up a hand and waved in front of his face. His eyes didn't move, they remain fixed, staring straight ahead. The old Pikachu had seen this many times before. At least once a day Nobark would somehow go blank and slip into a catatonic state. Mostly he does it when in bed, where he has privacy to collect his thoughts. Rarely would he zone out outside of his private zone. But it happens. Tesla could bring him back into reality when needed, but that would set off his anger personality. When asked about it, Nobark always claims he was sleeping with his eyes open. Which was half-true. Tesla never bothered probing Nobark and figuring out why he goes blank, but he understood this was a way for Nobark to process information. So whatever idea he made up or learned was sorting its way through his faulty neurons, it would take some time before Nobark figured it out.

"Don't sprain a lobe, Nobark," said Tesla.

Nobark didn't respond, probably didn't hear him.

Tesla walked to the elite bunker and knocked on Smugleaf's door. No response, so he twist the knob and pushed the door open. Bubbles lay on the bed, sleeping soundly until Tesla stepped into the room. She sensed his approach and sat up. Her eyes were watery and tired. She blinked and let out a yawn. _"Now has Smugleaf ever touched you in a funny way?" _Tesla asked.

Bubbles stared at him for a moment, then nodded. _"She would stick her tongue in my ear while we sleep, and her hands would squeeze by sides."_

_ "That's all?"_

_ "Yes, but she didn't seem to mean it, like she doesn't even know she was doing it."_

_ "Unconscious thought."_

_ "What?"_

Tesla said, _"Never mind, she hadn't gone farther than that?"_

Bubbles said, _"No, she hadn't."_

Tesla took her by the hand. _"Where is Smugleaf right now?"_

_ "I have no idea, I noticed she was gone a few minutes ago, but I don't know how long."_

_ "Here, come with me. There are some Pokémon I like you to meet."_

Bubbles nodded and got down from the bed. Tesla took her outside and they headed toward the command bunker. Nobark hadn't moved from his spot, his eyes were still blank. _"What's wrong with Nobark?" _she asked.

_"Thinking movement," _said Tesla. _"Not sure what it is, but it happens all the time. Don't worry, he'll snap out of it after a while."_

Tesla took her inside the bunker and opened the door to the den. Mark's Pokémon sat on the couches talking to each other, they ceased conversation and turned to Tesla. _"Girls," _he said. _"This here is Bubbles. Bubbles, these are close associates of mine. The Pikachu is my great-granddaughter, the rest are her friends."_

Mark's Emolga jumped down and shook her hand. _"Hi!"_

_ "Hello," _said Bubbles, she couldn't help but smile.

_"You have pretty fur."_

_ "You too."_

Emolga pulled Bubbles in and sniffed her. _"You smell like bubblegum!" _she chirped.

Mark's Pikachu walked up and hug Bubbles. _"You're so cuddly!" _she said.

_"And you're so soft," _said Bubbles. _"But you smell funny."_

_ "I always smell funny."_

The Cheering Pokémon hobbled up and sniffed Bubbles's feet, then reached out with their tiny hands and hugged her. _"Bubblegum!" _they chirped in unison.

Bubbles giggled as Mark's Pokémon took turns handling her. Tesla smiled, whatever anguish she had was soon forgotten as Bubbles's happily chatted away. They were all talking all at once. It was mostly noise. Tesla wondered how they were managing to get messages across. Maybe they weren't. Maybe they were talking to themselves. Some Pokémon like to hear the sound of their own voice, even though nobody would listen. For five minutes Mark's Pokémon took turns hugging her and chirp away. Their morale jumped, full of glee. When they quieted down, Tesla said, _"Bubbles is going to help us on the raid, aren't you?"_

Bubbles blinked with total surprise. _"What am I doing?"_

_ "Help us get goodies," _said Pikachu.

_"What kind of goodies?"_

_ "All sorts of food and snacks, we can even get happy juice!"_

Bubbles knew what that last part meant, her face says it all. _"Whoa, I can't handle happy juice! Stuff's too strong for me."_

_ "There are many different types, what did you first try?"_

_ "Uhh, I think it was vodka."_

Mark's Pikachu blurted, _"You gotta try moonshine, that's the best stuff!"_

_ "I don't think there is going to be moonshine, Pikachu," _said Tesla. _"That's more of a rural thing. We're dealing with suburbia here."_

Bubbles looked at Tesla. _"Wait, what is going on?"_

Tesla asked, _"How hungry are you?"_

The Sea Otter rubbed her belly. _"Really hungry."_

_ "Well, there is not much food left. So tonight or tomorrow night, we're going to go out to Springfield and get the PRA resupplied. You can have everything you want to eat and drink, but you're going to have to cooperate, okay?"_

_ "Wait, we're stealing?"_

_ "Looting actually, which is more complex than stealing."_

Bubbles's eyes went big.

_"Oh don't get goody-two-shoes on me, I already have to deal with this once." _

Tesla shot a look at Emolga, she sheepishly turned away.

"_Besides," _said Tesla. _"The rules you've learned in human civilization only applies to humanity, not to Pokémon. Sure you might get arrested, but they can't hold you or put you on trial. You're just a Pokémon, you don't _know _or even _understand_ the rules. To you, it's all about survival. Being alive, and enjoying life. They can't blame you for that."_

"_But-"_

"_No buts about it, Bubbles. You want a bath and a hot meal, right?"_

"_Yes, I do."_

"_Then you have to work for it, whether you like it or not."_

Mark's Pikachu wrapped her arms around Bubbles's back. _"You ever worked hard at something before?"_

"_No," _said Bubbles.

"_Neither do I. But when I do, I'm going to be a happy Pikachu when I go to bed because the reward is worth it."_

Bubbles turned to Tesla, he just shrugged. _"Play along, Bubbles," _said Tesla. _"You want Wotter to leave you alone?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Then play ball here or you won't get support."_

Bubbles sucked in her lips and thought about it, then lowered her head. _"Okay, I will."_

**. . .**

Smugleaf wondered into Carbondale just an hour before noon. She felt naked without her knife, Smugleaf caught herself three times from unconsciously checking to see if her knife was there. Which was not. The Grass Snake Pokémon forced herself to snap out of it. She knew where she put it. It wasn't going anywhere. Smugleaf had a job to do and she couldn't afford to attract attention. Well, she was a random Snivy wandering into a human settlement, which was suspiciously close to Fort Wernher. But the PRA had never harassed these towns. Nobark had strict orders not to. But that may change once the raid takes place. Hopefully it wouldn't be loud and obvious like the raid in Soho.

_Now if I was a Pokémon trainer, _she thought. _Where would I go?_

The Pokémon Center, of course. When in town, trainers spend half of their time in Pokémon Centers. Mostly to eat and rest and heal their sick Pokémon. Younger trainers are more likely to flock to Pokémon Centers than older trainers. Since Ash and his friends were young, the chance of finding them there was high.

Smugleaf walked through Carbondale in an aimless pattern. Her cover is a classic one: A wild Pokémon looking to explore the mysteries of human civilization. All Pokémon in existence play the part, though domesticated Pokémon who were born in captivity would have trouble doing so, as they were never wild in the first place. Pedestrians walked by, some took notice of her. The Pokémon with them sometimes wave at her and she waved back. _Nothing to see here, I'm just a wild Pokémon. _Smugleaf looped around the block, then twice. And it didn't take long to find the Carbondale Pokémon Center.

It wasn't as fancy as the Springfield one, but nonetheless clean and well-built. Smugleaf had a number of options. Sit back and watch who comes in and out, or walk in and see what was inside. Fort Wernher soon came to mind. Visiting Soho residents might take notice of her and drop a line at the police. She was not an urban Pokémon, therefore, human civilization would not suit her. Her skin was green and white and the environment was sky-blue and majestic gray. Camouflage was out of the option. She couldn't even blend in. She was a snake with limbs, she was bound to attract attention.

So she walked right up to the Pokémon Center and stepped inside.

And almost immediately she spotted Ash Ketchum at the corner of the Pokémon Center.

He and his friends were sitting on the couches, the Pikachu and Axew sitting side by side. They were talking to each other, Smugleaf would eavesdrop but she wasn't interested in what they were talking about. All she needed to know was they were here, and they don't seemed to be going anywhere. Their backpacks were nowhere in sight, they must be at a hotel room somewhere. If they were planning to move on, their backpacks would be present. So not only they were here, they were staying put.

_Perfect, _Smugleaf thought.

Smugleaf left them alone and headed to the back at the restroom. She grabbed a shampoo bottle from the dispenser and took a quick shower. She scrubbed everything, like Tesla instructed her to back at Springfield. Smugleaf used up the entire bottle and washed the shampoo off. Once clean, she got out and tossed the empty bottle into the trash, then brushed her teeth at the mirror.

_Odd, _she thought. _I'm running off of human comforts._

Then again, they might be universal comforts.

She grabbed a towel from the dispenser and dried herself off, then wiped her mouth. Smugleaf balled up the towel and tossed it into the laundry bin, then stepped out of the bathroom.

Ash's Pikachu was right there.

The Mouse Pokémon stared at her and she stared back, saying nothing for a few seconds. Smugleaf recalled Nobark didn't say not to get caught by them. But Ash and his friends were friendly, not suspicious of anything, and she didn't have the heart to mess with them. The Pikachu's eyes showed no signs of suspicion. Just curiosity. Maybe he hadn't seen a lone Snivy in a Pokémon Center before.

Then again, maybe not too many people in Unova had.

_"Yes," _she asked in Pokémon speech. _"You need something?"_

_ "Oh, nothing," _said Pikachu. _"I wasn't expecting any more Pokémon here," _then he said, _"Where's your trainer?"_

_ "I don't have a trainer," _said Smugleaf. _"I live in the forest, I come here on occasion to see what was new."_

_ "You heard of Fort Wernher, right?"_

Smugleaf thought up an answer. _"Yes, everyone has. The Pokémon there are messed up, their leader is worse. I wouldn't go poking them with a stick if I was you."_

She wasn't lying, that was all true. Nobark was messed up, and so were the PRA. Before Pikachu asked, Smugleaf asked. _"Were you poking around, Soho?"_

_ "Uh, I was just there."_

_ "Then you were lucky, you could have been killed. Let me guess, they told you to stay in doors?"_

_ "Yes."_

Smugleaf shook her head. _"That's not going to save you. The police would drag you out and shoot you. They're authorized to kill any Pokémon 'on the suspicion' they were PRA."_

The Pikachu's eyes went big. _"Oh, I didn't know that."_

Smugleaf glanced at the clock, the time had changed. _"I best be off, I got friends back at home who need me."_

Again, that was true. She do have friends who need her.

_"Okay," _said Ash's Pikachu. _"It was nice talking to you, Snivy."_

Smugleaf smiled. _"If you venture out into the forest, be sure to find me. The PRA don't normally flock around, they keep to themselves. But if you wander into that forest, I'll be in the area and make sure they don't hurt you. I don't trust them, their ideology isn't perfect."_

Again, true.

_"Okay, my trainer's going to be around for a while so I guess it's good to know."_

Smugleaf patted him on the shoulder. _"See you around."_

_ "See yeah."_

Smugleaf left the Pokémon Center and walked into the alley, then breathed a sigh of relief. _Okay, _she thought. _That was a close call._

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	21. Chapter 21

_Chapter 21_

The Grass Snake Pokémon had a habit that she never could let go. After getting some distance from the Pokémon Center, Smugleaf's belly grumbled. She hadn't eaten breakfast this morning. At first Smugleaf thought about going back to the Pokémon Center to get a fresh meal, but remembered that Ash Ketchum was there. She was in no mood to get him all stirred up. His Pikachu knowing her was enough, she didn't want all of them to know about her just yet.

So Smugleaf looped around Carbondale and searched for spots in what she believed were free Pokémon buffets. There was a casual restaurant near the center of town. The air smelled greasy, and grease means yummy food. The food was sometimes so good that customers would order more than they could stomach down. They would get full sooner than they expected. The customer would pay their meal and sometimes won't take the food with them to eat later. All this wasted food gets thrown out, sealed in tight metal cans for trash pickup.

Smugleaf wandered into the alley next to the restaurant. She found the cans in question. They looked new, recently bought. The cans have yet to form rust. The Grass Snake Pokémon opened up one of these cans and peered inside. Her stomach rasped. Burgers, some fries, nachos and cheese, classic tomato and lettuce sandwiches tower on top of each other. Smugleaf couldn't help but jumped right in, the lid slamming itself close above her. She lay there for an hour, stuffing herself with wasted food. For a moment, she felt like a million bucks. This was a lot better than actually dining in the restaurant. In the restaurant she would get a limited set of food. But in the trash cans of a restaurant, it was almost infinite.

When she was stuffed, Smugleaf popped the lid open and climbed out. She checked herself to see if she got any food on her, then closed the lid and walked off like nothing even happened.

Smugleaf left Carbondale and made her way through the forest. She took the usual route, she knew her way around the forest. The Grass Snake Pokémon approached Fort Wernher. But instead of coming through the warehouse like she always do, she went through the stuck gate. She jogged parallel past the fence and made it back to the elite bunker. Smugleaf stepped in, walked to her bedroom and opened the door.

Bubbles was gone, but Smugleaf wasn't worried about her right now. She climbed back on the bed and stretched herself out, then took a short nap.

**. . .**

The inner circle regrouped back at the command center just around sundown. They sat down at the same spots as last night. Unlike last time there was no cooler, the drinks were just about nonexistent. Nobody complained. Part of the reason why they were here was the lack of drinks.

And the lack of everything else.

_"So what have we got?" _Tesla asked.

_"We've gotten all the trash taken out," _said Nobark. _"All hauled off and burned."_

_ "Good."_

_ "I'm still feeling sore from it all," _Tendon grumbled under her breath.

Tesla turned to Woody. _"What did you find on your recon yesterday, Woody?"_

_ "The transformer, alright," _said Woody. _"The substation connecting from the regional power plant to Springfield is a little old. They're using an old box Rhombus model, probably around thirty to forty years old. I don't think they make the Rhombus model anymore."_

_ "What's your repair-time estimate?"_

_ "If we blow a single fuse, it would be thirty minutes. If we wreck the entire transformer, a few weeks."_

_ "We only need to overload one, correct?"_

Woody nodded. _"One will do the job, the others will fail and shut themselves down as a safety measure."_

_ "And how long will the power company respond?" _Tesla asked.

_"They're not exactly up to date, so once the power goes out it would be a matter of time before the company starts receiving phone calls about a blackout. Once alerted, it's going to take them some time getting a technician team on site to fix the damage. If the damage is bad enough, however, then we have all night."_

Tesla turned to Wotter. _"Anything to report, Wotter?"_

_ "Almost no activity," _said Wotter. _"I only saw one cop, and that was the Officer Jenny. I think there were more, but I don't think they're quite prominent."_

_ "Just an Officer Jenny?"_

_ "Just her, in terms of the local police. So for something as big as us, we're going to need to jam their radio communications or we'll have the Unova Regional Police on us before we even get started."_

_ "Right," _said Tesla. _"So before we cut the power, we're going to need to disable the backup generators first. For a fast generator kill, we'll pour sugar and bleach in the fuel tanks. Do we have bleach on hand?"_

_ "We do," _said Tendon. _"But it's expired."_

_ "Even better."_

_ "I think we have some sugar that started fermenting," _said Woody. _"Would yeast and alcohol ruin an engine?"_

_ "The pluming will be clogged after the generator cools down."_

_ "One thing I would like to add," _said Nobark. _"If we go in there and kill the generators, how can we signal you to cut the power?"_

_ "Pull the main switch in the buildings," _said Tesla. _"Once I see all three buildings go dark, I cut the power. Once Springfield goes dark, the PRA can have at it."_

"We have to work fast," Smugleaf said in human speech.

"That we do, Smugleaf," said Tesla in return. "Bring your knife along, can you do stealthy takedowns?"

Smugleaf nodded. "I'm a pro at takedowns."

"We'll need to ambush the Officer Jenny and take her out, along with any Springfield PD officer. We must not let a single cop leave the town limits, we don't want the URP showing up and crashing our parade."

Woody said, _"Take out the generators, the radios, and the cops. With those out of the picture, we just go raid crazy."_

_ "Quietly, of course," _said Tesla. _"To speed things along, we can commandeer a pickup-truck or something and load the back up with supplies, then drive it back to Fort Wernher. We might need to make several return trips so we're going to need to hold onto the element of surprise for as long as we can. The Swoobats will come in handy in the skies. If they see something from above, they can take it out with a powerful blast from their sonar. A cop car will be disabled from a concentrated sound wave."_

"Which is too high for a person to hear?" Smugleaf asked.

"Yes," said Tesla. "Really high, however it would be like a bomb blast to any Pokémon nearby."

_"So when are we going to organize the PRA?" _Wotter asked.

Tesla looked at him. _"Right now, we'll do this tonight. The sooner we get this done, we'll have full bellies by morning."_

The old Pikachu turned to Nobark and asked, "Does the PRA have a lot of experience on raids?"

"A lot," said Nobark. "They know a raid this big would need a vehicle or two. So we're going to need to get some cars."

Wotter got up from the couch. _"I'll find a car, I know what to look for. If we're going to raid Springfield, then we should look for one in Carbondale. We can't afford to get Springfield spooked, even if they only have one police officer."_

Tendon smiled. _"I have a few Pokémon who owes me favors, I'm going to call them in and form a posse."_

_ "I'll go with Wotter for the cars," _said Woody. _"Preferably we get a van, there might be a lot of guns in that police station and I wanna grab them all."_

_ "Now don't get greedy, Woody," _said Tesla. _"Carry what you can, and if you suspect you have been caught red-handed you drive straight back to base. If you are followed, then get un-followed, if you catch my drift."_

Woody nodded. _"I know, a lot of resources are at stake. I had friends who were captured by the police. They won't tell sh*t to them, even if they have a translator. No one's ratting anybody out for this one."_

Tendon got up from the couch and stretched her legs. _"Let's go round up the PRA then, I'm tired of eating MREs every day."_

**. . .**

Tesla, Nobark, and the PRA inner circle walked outside and approached the barracks. Everyone was called into attention. Pokémon poured out of the barracks in mass droves. Some were tripping over each other. They look scared, like they had done something wrong and were expected to be punished for it. Instead of a Scrafty spitting harsh orders, they got a more compassionate Scrafty with his mentor and elitist. But still, they were weary. Nobark can changed moods on the turn of a coin. They all stood in attention with the setting sun behind their backs. Woody lit a Kerosene lamp to bring up more light, then returned to the inner circle. For the first few seconds there was silence, nothing but the faint breeze flowing above.

_"I've got something to tell you guys," _said Nobark. _"Remember the talks about the raid for new supplies?"_

Many conscripts nodded and said yes.

_"It's happening right here, right now. You're all going to be divided into groups for specific supplies. But before we get into the details, here's the basic rundown of the plan."_

Tesla took over and explained to the PRA thoroughly of the plan. Everybody listened, and when they had a question, Tesla gave a brief and informative answer. The plan was simple: Disable emergency backup generators, cut power, raid places of interest, stash loot back at base, come back for a second or a third run for miscellaneous items, then party. Smiles started to form. Wotter and Woody gave the brief rundown of the cars they need and where to get them. They told the ground-types to step forward, and they stepped forward as they were told. Nobark then ordered the PRA to split up into several teams. Tendon called up the Pokémon who owed her "favors" and they stepped forward. They don't look to happy, but they don't look to scared either. More relieved actually, whatever Tendon had on them was finally getting off their backs.

The old Pikachu got Mark's Pokémon to come out and Smugleaf went and fetched Bubbles. The Grass Snake Pokémon kept her distance. Tesla shot a look at her and she stepped farther away, she even avoided eye-contact altogether.

With the teams split up, Tesla gave the final word. _"Once the power goes out at Springfield, we begin. But don't make a sound, we need to hold on to the element of surprise for as long as possible. The longer we stay hidden, the more stuff we can have. Do I make myself clear?"_

_ "Yes," _the conscripts said in unison.

Tesla turned to Nobark. _"You're ready for this, bud?"_

Nobark chuckled. _"I've been ready for this for a long time, it would be just like old times."_

_ "Except it'll be much easier than old times. We're not in a city, you know."_

Nobark smiled. _"Aye, I love small towns. Easy pickings."_

**. . .**

Tesla went back to the command center. He walked into his room and opened up his Red Cross backpack. Tesla pulled out Mark's knife and checked the blade. It gleamed under the ceiling lights, he tucked it back into the holster and placed the knife back into the backpack. Then closed the drawcord and put it on, then left

**. . .**

The inner circle got together with their specific teams. Tendon took her team and went to the outskirts of Springfield. Wotter and Woody gathered up the ground-types and head off to Carbondale for vehicles. Tesla rounded up Mark's Pokémon, Bubbles, Smugleaf, Cabot's Emolga, and the Joltik. Nobark rounded up the rest and they all went to Springfield.

By then the sun had went down and Tesla was feeling tired. While walking from Fort Wernher toward the town a part of him considered to turn back and sleep for the night. He was busy for the last four days. Barking orders at incompetent Pokémon and knocking some sense into those who misunderstood it had drained the old Pikachu of his energy.

That all changed when he saw the gleaming lights of Springfield.

The PRA stood at the edge of the forest and gazed at the town. Not many Pokémon showed much expression. They don't need to, they knew what was about to come. Tesla felt adrenaline surge through his veins. His heart-rate picked up, his lungs burning sharp. He knew that feeling all too well. In decades past he would get an adrenaline surge every time he would loot a convenience store or a warehouse. For a moment, he felt younger, sharper, and more determined. Nobark was feeling the same rush. His arm wasn't shaking, it was deathly still. Tesla smiled, on this night the Nobark he knew and respected was with him once more. The many personalities who liked and loathed each other had settled their differences on a temporary truce and joined the main one for this moment. Tesla had never seen anyone with multiple-personality disorder with total cooperation with himself as Nobark was.

"Remember the Faraday Riots, Tesla?" Nobark asked.

Tesla nodded. "Those were good times, we partied for days from that."

Nobark chuckled. "If the police eventually arrived in full-force, what should we do?"

"Wing it, of course. We create pandemonium to aid for our escape."

"But this time we will be the center of attention. You know that, right?"

Tesla nodded. "That I do," he turned to the PRA and spoke in Pokémon speech._ "You hear that guys. If you see a convoy of comes heading this way, create major distractions and get out. Most cops are trained to maintain the peace, however they do not have experience on restoring peace. There will be confusion. If you are feeling scared, just remember that the police will be just as scared. Who will be foolish enough to challenge the Pokémon Resistance Army? They have guns, we have guns _and_ powers. We are in control here, not them."_

That earned a lot of smiles and soft cheering from the PRA.

Then Tesla frowned. _"So don't f*ck up and be extra quiet. If there are lone pedestrians walking about, take them out _quietly_ and hide them in the alleys. Remember, we must hold the element of surprise for as long as we can. The longer we go undetected, the more stuff we're going to get. Do I need to remind you guys more?"_

_"Not me,"_ said Tendon. _"I know the works of the Pokémon Center. I'll disable the generator and shut of the power to let you know."_

_"Wotter will do the same at the police station,"_ added Nobark.

Tesla turned to his own group. _"Let's loop around Springfield and find the transformer, I wanna get there before Wotter shuts down the police station."_

Nobark turned to the rest of the PRA. _"When the lights go out, go in to the stores with food and water. Raid them first. On the second trip, we raid everything."_

The PRA nodded.

Tesla padded Nobark on the shoulder. "Let's go guys."

Tendon took her team down toward the Pokémon Center and Tesla led his group around Springfield, the rest of the PRA went back into the woods and hid in the foliage to wait for the signal.

As Tesla and his team looped around the town. He looked for signs of second thoughts. His great-granddaughter seemed determined, and the Cheering Pokémon duo was not showing much reaction. Mark's Emolga appeared doubtful, but that was probably a moral issue about what she can or can't do. Both Smugleaf and Bubbles appeared uncertain. Smugleaf's reasons might be because of him, not that she was questioning her own abilities but rather why she was doing it. For Bubbles, again, a moral issue, much like Emolga's. But Tesla made sure she won't complain. She was trained to do what they were told. Heck, all the Pokémon here were trained to do what they were told. Nobark was the only Pokémon to have a big smile on his face. But that was understandable, he used to do raids for a living in the Westinghouse years.

So it was a big ass maybe. It would go well, and yet it might not.

But Tesla wasn't expecting it to go well. Truth was, raids never had. Almost all the time there would be cops appearing at the last minute, and a getaway would wound up taking up a rush of adrenaline. One time while Tesla, Nobark, and their WA friends were raiding a convenience store, the cops showed up sooner than they had expected. Tesla acted fast and got everyone to hide in a moving van that was sitting just across the street. The cops looked everywhere for them but not the van. By luck, the driver got in while they were doing their search and drove away to the next town. It was a close call, and his friends praised him for it.

"Remember hiding in that moving van thirty-five years back, Nobark?" Tesla asked.

"I nearly voided my bowels over it," he said.

"Supposing there was no escape, where would we hide?"

"How about on the roof of the police station itself? We can hide in the AC units and sit there till morning. Pokémon psychology would say to move away from the trouble as far as possible. That was how they get caught so easily. No cop would give a second thought about looking on their roof."

"The solution is to move toward trouble."

Nobark nodded. "Yes, move toward it. But our group is too big for all of us to fit in an AC vent."

"We don't need to."

Then Smugleaf started to speak, "Fifteen years ago, when the PRA was raiding Soho for the first time. The first thing we did was raid the police department. We got a lot of guns from them, and just to make sure they won't come after us we set fire to the police station and disabled all the Crown Victorias they had in the parking lot. We took out whatever law enforcement officer we could find that night, it was chaos."

"How many Pokémon did you lose?" Tesla asked.

"Five," said Nobark. "All of them from their own stupidity, but we gained three times more members that night. Tendon was one of them, I had contact with her for weeks. She was eager to join in our cause."

"Why?"

Nobark chuckled. "She wanted out of the institution she was in. She was tired of being told what to eat, what to do, when to sleep and when to take a vacation. One Audino from the Soho Pokémon Center was badgering her about it more than the Nurse Joy had. Before the raid, we instructed her to gather as much medical supplies as she can and leave during the confusion. To aid in the distraction, we cut the power. Tendon was smart enough to disable the backup generator beforehand, so the Pokémon Center remained dark when she came out with the goods."

"What was she feeling then?" Tesla asked.

"She had a smile on her face. Not much of a smile, but she was cheering 'I'm free' when she crossed the town line."

Smugleaf added. "Before she left, she killed one of the Audinos. The one who was badgering her about Pokémon Center rules and regulations. I think Tendon had a grudge about her."

"She did," said Nobark. "Tendon hated that particular Audino a lot."

Tesla thought back at Pinki's story about how Tendon had killed her sister. She didn't know why, and the old Pikachu could tell she wasn't lying. So how did she not know?

The conversation soon changed when Mark's Pikachu started chirping. _"My cousins and I would love to break into restaurants for food. We would storm into a random restaurant in the middle of the day and gorge ourselves on everything they had. You know what a Mice Pokémon infestation is like?"_

_ "No," _Scrafty said in Pokémon speech.

_"A mess. We would defecate on the floor and urinate on the walls, then fling our feces on the ceiling for the fun of it. Then we would mate in the open, sometimes at the display windows for the spectators to see. We didn't have to worry about the police. It's a small town, only a couple dozen people. We had strength in numbers."_

_ "You ever participated, Pikachu?" _Tesla asked.

_"Sometimes, sometimes not. I was mostly wandering around in the woods and away from the politics of the Dixierats."_

_ "Doing what?"_

Mark's Pikachu paused and thought for a moment. _"Looking for a mate, I never actually found one so I was a bit distraught from that."_

_ "Until you got your ass stuck in a Pikachu trap and Mark came in to save the day," _Tesla added.

Smugleaf asked, "A Pikachu trap, what's that?"

"A simple box with a hole on the side. Pikachus climb inside and get wedged in because they're fat as f*ck. According to Mice Pokémon rules, wherever we fit our heads, the body will follow. But Pikachu traps broke that rule, and Mark's Pikachu here learned that the hard way."

Nobark turned toward Mark's Pikachu and asked, _"So that was how you met Mark?"_

_ "I never felt so grateful," _she said. _"Truth is I fell in love with him some time ago. I was following him around wondering whether or not I should make a move."_

Tesla chuckled. "How fortunate it was for Mark to wander into the area to look for a Pikachu. The only reason he was there was because he wanted to piss me off by owning one of my descendants. Particularly one who can trace their ancestry back to Polly." Then he said in Pokémon speech, _"You got lucky that day, just hope you have enough luck for tonight."_

Mark's Pikachu said nothing, but nodded.

The power sub-station Woody had talked about was up ahead. It looked pretty standard. A lot of galvanized metal surrounded by a chain-linked fence. Towers and boxes were lined up neatly, wires stringing in and out of the machines like a network. Big industrial wires came in from an outside source, then snaked into the sub-station to deliver their electricity. Power was then transferred to much smaller wires, which seemed to be buried. Below-ground wires were not a problem, it was becoming the norm throughout the world.

The problem was in the location of the sub-station.

There was a huge wide open space, nothing but grass for a hundred meters. Though it was dark, it wasn't dark enough to hide Tesla's bright yellow fur. He swore and turned to the group. _"You guys get down, I'm going to run over there and get into position. High-voltage is dangerous to be around and I don't want you guys getting electrocuted."_

"Don't get Overcharge, Tesla," said Smugleaf. "That would be bad."

"I can handle Overcharge. However, I'm not extracting electricity, I'm putting electricity in. It's Undercharge that I'm worried about."

"Be careful, Tesla," said Nobark. "I don't want to see you go after all these years."

_He definitely still cares about me, _Tesla thought. _Like the Scrafty I always knew._

Tesla nodded. "I'll be fine, just sit tight and watch the fireworks."

Everyone got down on the ground as Tesla sprinted toward the sub-station. He was a yellow blur to those who was not paying much attention. Nobody was going to raise an alarm over it, there was always strange things going on after dark. He rushed up to the fence and climbed up, then carefully climbed over the barbed wire. One of the barbs grazed him, but didn't cut the skin. He rubbed the scratch for a brief moment, then jumped down into the station.

Before him were the old transformers. Tesla could sense the electricity humming inside. All that power was buzzing around him. Being an electric-type, he was attracted to the intense energy. He wanted it, craved it. It was a natural feeling he always get, even during his early Pichu years. His rodent instincts urged him to extract the power, but his conscious reminded him what was at stake. He took a deep breath and held it for half a minute.

_Soon, _he thought. _I'll get a taste of voltage soon enough._

Tesla exhaled and refocused himself.

He crawled up to one of the transformers and hopped on the electric box. It felt warm, really warm. He felt his fur flutter on his skin, Tesla had to resist the urge to lick the box. Again, his conscious wins out.

Tesla turned toward the town. He wasn't high enough. He could see the police station just fine, but not the Pokémon Center. He needed to get higher. The old Pikachu climbed down and crept up to one of the wire towers of the sub-station. It must be ten meters tall, too high for the fall to be survivable. _Risk comes with the reward, _he thought.

The old Pikachu started up the tower. He clenched his teeth, his tiny hands grabbed on to the wrought iron as he pulled himself up its support beams. Sweat trailed down his forehead. The rodent instincts urged him along, bringing him closer and closer to the top. Around mid-way it reminded him of his uncle back in Kanto, how he climbed up a sub-station tower, how he bit into the wires and got fried, before falling ten meters to his demise. At the time Tesla never thought much about it. Death was natural in the family. Thinking about it now, he realized how stupid it was for him to be doing this. He wouldn't be making that same mistake his uncle did.

He reached the top without problems. Tesla sat down and looked out over Springfield. He could see the entire town now. The Pokémon Center was visible, its lights burning bright as day. The fire station was also visible. It was already dark, the firefighters must have gone to bed.

_So that now only makes two._

Tesla saw his group in the bushes. They were watching him, nervously. He smiled and casually waved at them. Nobark had the nerve to wave back. The others just stared at him, probably thinking what he was doing.

He sat back on the tower and turned back to Springfield, then wait for Tendon and Wotter to make their move.

**. . .**

Wotter managed to find a vehicle in the back of a storage facility. It was a large white moving van. It looked relatively new, no mold was growing on the sides. There was no writing on the sides, nothing to say who it belonged to. Wotter didn't care who it belonged to. A moving van does the same job for everybody. Woody went around and inspected it to see if it was drive-worthy. No flat tires, no signs it hadn't been used in a long time. Wotter climbed up onto the driver-side door and picked the lock with a wire hanger. He felt around for the door lock, when he thought he snagged it he yanked up and the door lock disengaged.

Now the only thing to worry about if it had an alarm.

_Only one way to find out._

Wotter grabbed the door handle and yanked it open. The moving van's horn stayed silent, its lights stayed off save for the ones inside the cab. Wotter got behind the wheel and muscled off the steering column cover, then ripped out its wires and twisted them. The electric ignition spurred and the engine roared.

Woody hopped into the passenger seat and buckled himself in. _"Everything working okay?" _he asked.

_"Everything's working fine," _said Wotter. _"Just keep your eyes open."_

Wotter shut the driver-side door and locked them, he shifted the car into gear and pressed the gas pedal. His foot barely grazed it. He swore and shift the truck back in park. He adjusted the seat higher, then adjusted the pedals more closer. Once all the mirrors were repositioned, he shifted the truck into drive and pulled out of the parking lot. Woody craned his neck and scanned for pedestrians, he saw none. Carbondale's streets were quiet.

_"Oh, almost forgot."_

Wotter switched on the headlights and the road in front of them lit up.

The Discipline Pokémon kept the van at a steady fifty-five kilometers per hour. His hands were clamped tight to the steering wheel, his nerves remained calm. Woody saw this, he was about to say something but decided against it. The Timburr simply turned his attention back out on the street, checking for potential watchers.

So far the coast was clear.

Wotter pulled out of Carbondale within minutes. When he was unable to see the town in his mirrors, he pulled off the side of the road and parked it out of sight. He killed the engine and got out. _"Stay in the cab, I'm going to open up the back."_

_ "Yes, sir."_

The Dewott climbed down from the van and jogged around to the trunk. He picked the lock on the door and muscled the door open.

Inside were a couple of boxes strapped to the walls with duct tape. Wotter climbed inside and opened one of them up. Inside was junk. Useless junk. Wotter didn't bother moving it, they don't need all that space to haul weapons. Wotter climbed out the back and slid the door shut and got back behind the wheel. _"We're good to go," _he said.

He shifted the moving van back into gear and drove back onto the road, then turned toward Springfield.

They were at the town line within minutes. Wotter pulled the van into a secluded parking lot and shift it into park, he shut of the engine and turned to Woody. _"We'll have to go by foot," _said Wotter. _"Stay close to me until we reach the police station. We'll break in through the back and kill the generator, then take out whoever is there and smash the radios."_

Woody nodded. _"Sounds like a plan."_

Wotter and Woody got out and jogged toward the nearest alley. They stuck to the shadows, keeping their heads down and their arms straight out. They kept their ears tuned for any passerby, so far no one. The duo moved fast, but quietly. Tendon got a head start on the Pokémon Center but he needed to hurry on his part. The duo rushed across streets paused a few times to listen for anyone following them. Springfield was quiet. It was definitely a sleepy town. This fact might make things easier than it seemed.

When they got to the street the police station was at, they stopped. _"We'll loop around the back," _Wotter whispered. _"We gotta work fast on this."_

Woody nodded, but said nothing.

The duo looked both ways for anybody walking down the street, they saw none. They crossed the street and crept their way across the backs of the buildings. When they saw the police station, they noticed the Officer Jenny's motorcycle was there.

_Now things just got a little harder, _Wotter thought.

He crept up to the backdoor and picked the lock. The lock was defeated within minutes, but Wotter didn't open it yet. There might be an alarm. So he pushed the door in a centimeter, then ran his fingers through across the edge to find a sensor.

And there was, a thin piece of plastic with wires in it.

Wotter turned to Woody, _"We need a-"_

Woody smiled a toothy grin and held up a magnet. It looked like something bought from a hardware store. Not a kitchen magnet, but a heavy-duty one. Wotter chuckled. _"Smart boy."_

_ "The Officer Jenny might be on the other side," _Woody warned.

_"Then we'll do this fast."_

Wotter took the magnet, then reached up and stuck it on the sensor. He pushed the door open and the alarm remained silent. _"Okay," _said Wotter. _"Let's peak inside."_

He pushed the door open and looked inside. It looked like a utility room. It was pitch-black. Wotter pushed the door wider to let more light in. He waited for a second, then stepped inside.

The backup generator in question was right there next to him. It was spray-painted yellow, it practically glowed out of the darkness. It was a large diesel generator. Not old, but not new either. A fine layer of dust had coated the dynamo and hull, it looked like it hadn't been used in a while. Maybe it wouldn't even run at all, but Wotter wasn't taking any chances.

Wotter searched the rest of the room. Mostly tools and canisters of lubricants and anti-freeze. Woody's jaw dropped. A lot of the supplies here were brand new, he hadn't seen the latest gear until now.

_"Wait a little longer, Woody," _said Wotter. _"The task at hand?"_

Woody blinked, then nodded. _"Right, the task at hand."_

Wotter found the door leading to the rest of the station, light was glowing through the gaps. The Discipline Pokémon twisted the door knob, then poked his head through.

He heard only one person inside, the Officer Jenny no doubt. She was on a computer, clicking away with a mouse and typing on her keyboard. Wotter closed the door and turned to Woody. _"We need a distraction."_

Woody nodded. _"I'm on it."_

The Muscular Pokémon ran out the back and disappeared into the night. Wotter reached for one of his scalchops and drew it. A long sky-blue plasma blade jetted out. Wotter flipped it downward and quietly stepped through the door.

He walked toward the edge of the wall. Even though the floor was concrete, he wasn't taking any chances on creaking. Sometimes the carpet creaks if the measurement is a little more than the room it was intended for. It might even shift furniture around. Tipping off the Officer Jenny that there was a problem wouldn't be good. He can't afford any noise, not a single peep.

When he reached the reception desk, Wotter paused. He pressed his back against the wall and waited.

The Officer Jenny kept typing away, occasionally grumbling to herself. It must be one of those boring nights for her.

Wotter held his breath and waited.

The front window exploded and a solid object arched into the room. The Officer Jenny jumped, actually falling off her chair. The object smashed against the wall and bounced off the floor.

High-pitched laughter ensued outside.

Wotter checked to see what it was. It was a brick. Bright red with sharp corners. It left a dent in the dry wall, big enough to be replaced. "Sh*t," the Officer Jenny swore. "Damn kids!"

She climbed back up to her feet and stood her chair back up, then she walked around the corner. If she had turned left, she would had seen Wotter. But no, she turned right, toward the broken window.

Wotter moved fast. Just as the Officer Jenny peaked out the window, he leaped up and sank his Razor Shell into the back of her skull.

Her medulla was lacerated instantly, as she dropped like a stone. Wotter hanged on tight as she hit the ground. Her hat fell off and rolled to the side. Wotter held it for a moment, then pulled out the Razor Shell. Blood was starting to ooze out of the fatal wound and started to pool around the carpet. Wotter held up his Razor Shell, the tip was coated with blood. He went back to the utility room where Woody ran back into the door. He was giggling to himself, actually dancing. Then he saw Woody's Razor Shell and froze.

_"That quick?" _he asked.

Wotter nodded. _"I leaped up and took her out seconds after you threw that brick," _then he added. _"Clever of you Woody, but you went a little too far from the laughter."_

_ "Did she knew it was a teenager?"_

_ "She did, so I guess it paid off."_

Wotter went up to the generator and examined it. _"Where's the battery?"_

Woody opened a panel and pulled out a twelve-volt car battery out of the slot. _"Here it is!"_

The Muscular Pokémon pulled out the terminals and sat the battery aside. _"There, it's disabled."_

Wotter walked up to the breaker box and opened up the panel, he found a green button that suggested it was the generator. He reached up and pressed it with the tip of his Razor Shell.

Nothing, the generator stayed dead.

_"We're in business," _he said.

Wotter planted his Razor Shell on the floor. He then jumped up on the circuit breaker box and reached for the main switch. He pulled it, the lights coming from the rest of the police station went dark."

_"That f*cking easy?" _Woody asked.

Wotter shrugged. _"This is a small town, where zero crime happens every day. How do you think it was so easy?"_

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	22. Chapter 22

_Chapter 22_

_Right on cue, _Tesla thought.

The lights at the police station went dark and dead. Tesla stood up on the electrical tower and looked over Springfield. He smiled. All those pretty lamps lighting up human civilization. To put civilization at hold, the power must be cut.

_And I'm the off-switch._

Tesla's cheeks sparkled, then his hands flashed with electricity. He charged himself up and ground his arms into the electrical tower. Bluish-purple electricity ripped through the tower, then ground into the electrical wires. The wires heat up almost instantly. Their insulation steamed and bubbled, melting right off the wire. They caught fire, the smoke smelling like burnt plastic. Tesla felt his electricity ground into the transformers. Overhead, Springfield's outdoor lights flickered for a split second. Then got brighter. They were like tiny spotlights, the streets glowed like a stage at a concert. The transformers started glowing red-hot, they sizzled and steamed. Wires leading to Springfield heated up, melting off their insulation, then burst into flames. The old Pikachu held it for a minute, then lifted his hands.

His own electricity disappeared, the buzzing that was murmuring in the transformer yard was gone. Over Springfield, the street lamps' lightbulbs exploded. First the north side went out, then the south. Lightbulbs popped all over Springfield and glass trickled onto the streets. Within seconds, the last lightbulb popped. No more glass broke. No light was shining.

Springfield was electronically pacified, the raid can begin.

Tesla was just about to climb down when he noticed the tower was glowing red-orange. The heat emanating from the structure was intense enough to dry the moisture off of his face. Tesla stared at the superheated metal for a second. Even though the legs were hot, the plate Tesla was standing on remained cool. He was trapped ten meters up.

_I guess I hadn't thought this through._

One of the legs of the structure gave way without warning, the tower jutted out. The tower groaned and creaked. It started to lean. There wasn't much for Tesla to hang on, he just sat there and braced himself. The tower's legs cracked, the tower leaned even more. Tesla's eyes widen, now he started feeling scared. Wind rush passed him as he headed straight for the ground.

"Sh*t," he muttered.

Tesla slipped off before the tower hit the ground. He covered his head and relaxed his muscles. The tower broke apart upon impact. Superheated bolts and shrapnel flied everywhere, non-live electrical wires scattered about. Tesla hit the ground on his side, bounced, then hit the ground again on his right shoulder-blade. He rolled at least twice before coming to a stop.

Everything was a blur for a brief moment, the next thing he knew was a Swoobat flying toward him. _Swoo II, _Tesla thought. The Courting Pokémon landed beside him His face was in shock, his eyes barely holding his tears.

_"I saw you fall," _he said. _"I tried coming to catch you, but I couldn't make it in time!" _He checked Tesla from head to toe for any obvious injuries, then added, _"Are you alright, Tesla!?"_

Tesla sat up and noticed his right arm was limp, then saw his he looked like he had a second shoulder.

The Courting Pokémon melted down. _"Oh no! No no no no!"_

Nobark and the group rushed over. Bubbles and Mark's Pokémon gasped. Smugleaf froze, her eyes bulging wide. Only Nobark kept his cool, seeing Tesla injured was nothing new to him. "What's broken?" he asked.

"Shoulder's dislocated, and everything else is sore," Tesla turned to Smugleaf and said. "Smugleaf, I need to borrow your knife."

Smugleaf snapped out of her stupor and nodded. "Yes, of course!"

She drew her knife and flipped it around, handing the handle end to Tesla. The old Pikachu took off his backpack and grabbed the knife, then positioned it under his right arm. Nobark grabbed his arm and held the knife in place.

Tesla counted down. "Three, two, one."

Tesla and Nobark pushed up. His shoulder crackled and popped back in place. The old Pikachu handed Smugleaf back her knife and flexed his arm. "Okay," he said. "I'm good, I'm going to be a little sore but I'm still functioning."

"You're not young anymore, Tesla," said Nobark. "You could have broken your neck from a fall like that."

"Nobark, I wasn't even young when I first met you. I had suffered from much harder blows than a fall like this." He turned to Swoo II and asked, _"What did Wotter bring to haul the loot?"_

_"A moving van," _said Swoo II. _"A rather large one too."_

_ "He drove it in here okay?"_

Swoo II nodded. _"He drove it like a pro."_

_ "Okay, we're going to use that van a lot. Swoo II, get back into the skies and keep an eye out for outside police backup. Everyone else, let's go checkup on the PRA and see what we can help them with."_

Swoo II took off back to the air and vanished into the night. The Mouse Pokémon grabbed his backpack and put it back on. Nobark took one good look at the backpack. "You know, Tes," he said. "That backpack fits you well."

"Well, I'm a little large for a Pikachu," said Tesla. "I only wish this drawsack wasn't red. Might as well paint a target on me screaming, 'Shoot Me Now.'"

Tesla stretched his arms and legs, flexing his joints. "Okay, let's go."

**. . .**

The PRA got down to business. They swooped in, scurrying down the street in a line formation. They constantly scanned the street, looking for humans and Pokémon who were not PRA. The conscripts giggled in a whispered tone, like little kids about to break into a candy store. They approached the stores and picked the locks on the front doors. The lock-pickers weren't as efficient as Wotter, it took them twice as long to defeat the locks. But they got through, and under the cover of darkness, they slipped inside undetected.

The stores had no power so their alarms were disabled. It almost seemed like they had all the time in the world. The PRA whipped out potato sacks and trash bags and started stuffing them full of loot. They got the basics first. Food, bottled water, and whatever first aid supplies they could get a hold of. A few greedy Pokémon only grabbed alcohol, they planned to party all night once they get back to Fort Wernher. The only things they didn't touched were the cash registers and the refrigerators. They have no use for money. And Nobark had instructed them beforehand not to grab anything that was perishable. Ice cream melt, and there was not enough refrigerators in Fort Wernher to keep them cold. Just seeing the ice cream in the fridge was enough to make them upset. Cabot's Emolga loved ice cream, so he dropped what he was doing and grabbed himself and ice cream sandwich while nobody was looking.

Tesla, on the other hand, was not in the mood for ice cream. He was interested in the cash registers instead. He had Mark's Pokémon break open the registers and grab all the cash and coins inside. He went from store to store, emptying registers. The PRA were confused. They themselves had no use for cash, but they didn't wanna question Tesla's judgment. When most of the cash registers were emptied, Tesla turned his attention to the ATMs. With the power cut, they were not functioning. But that didn't stop Tesla. Before he broke the ATMs, he stuck duct tape over the camera-lens just to be sure they won't take his photo. Then he charged the ATMs and money started pouring out. His great-granddaughter held out his backpack and caught the falling bundles of one hundred Pokédollar bills. Then fifty Pokédollar bills, then twenties, then tens, then ones. When they emptied one ATM, they moved on to the next. Eventually Tesla and Mark's Pokémon got sacks full of cash. With the money secured, they quickly snuck back to Fort Wernher to drop off their loot.

Nobark took Smugleaf and Bubbles and had them help Wotter raid the police station's armory. It was a disappointment. There weren't as many shotguns and rifles as they would have liked. There were a lot of 9mm pistols and ammunition. Sure. But there were no assault rifles or any kind of military-grade weapons. No matter. There were guns, and that was what they came for. Wotter pulled up the moving van and they began loading up the back. Smugleaf and Bubbles helped cleaned out the armory. Woody cleaned out the utility rooms. He retrieved all sorts of chemicals and cleaning supplies. The Muscular Pokémon found a tray of Arsenic. He stared at it for a moment, then tossed it in a bag without a second thought.

With the van full, Nobark, Smugleaf, and Bubbles got in the back and Wotter and Woody drove back to Fort Wernher to off-load their supplies.

Swoo II and Swoo IV scanned the streets of Springfield for locals and law enforcement. The town looked abandoned from above without the lights. Somehow it was upsetting, they didn't know why. They were bats, creatures of the night, but seeing a town without lights made them tear up. The Courting Pokémon shook the thought out of their heads and went back to scanning the streets.

And right away they found a cop. A male according to their sonars. He was driving a Crown Vic Intercepter with Springfield decals. He was radioing base, trying to figure out what was going on.

Swoo II and Swoo IV gave him no chance.

They both unleashed a powerful sonar pulse. Invisible to the naked eye, but the sound was deafening. The combined pulse struck the Crown Vic at roughly twice the speed of sound. All six windows exploded, all four tires blew. The engine coughed black smoke. The gas tank ruptured and burst into flames. The Crown Vic ground to a halt. Its headlights flickered madly before blacking out.

The cop himself was slumped over the steering wheel, his eyes and ears bleeding profusely as the growing flames engulfed his vehicle.

**. . .**

Rex couldn't help the feeling something was wrong. He lay in the bed of his Springfield hotel room. The room was dark. The air condition wasn't running and the videophone was dead. The streetlights outside had gone dark without warning. It felt like a nightmare, but it was real.

He had spent all day asking around for Mark and Tesla. None of Springfield's residents had said about seeing an odd-ball paramilitary guy with an Emolga, but they did mention seeing a Pikachu wearing goggles walking around Soho with a Snivy. Rex asked if the Pikachu spoke human speech, but residents said they only heard him spoke Pokémon speech. When he asked where they went, they said they couldn't tell where. "If they're PRA," one old-time resident had said. "They might head back to their crazy hide-a-way, cause they went back into the very forest they came from."

The trail had heated and cooled with no time for processing. Another dead end.

But Rex could feel deep down in his bones that he was on the right track.

Unable to sleep with mounting paranoia, Rex swung his legs over the edge of the bed and got up. He then stuck a finger through the window blinds and peaked out.

He saw a store across the street. What was it, a grocery store? Yes, it was. The front door was wide open, but the lights inside were dark.

Then Pokémon with matted fur walked out, carrying what looked like cases of beer on their backs.

Rex slowly let the window blind go back to its original shape, then withdrew his finger.

_I'm in hostile territory, _he thought. _The PRA had taken over._

The town was quiet, no obvious signs of a police presence. With the power cut, the phones won't work. He was on his own. Rex thought about calling out his Pokémon for dear comfort, but shoved the thought back. The PRA might see the flash, and they _know _what that flash means. Not only would he give himself away, but he would identify himself as a trainer. These Pokémon don't play by the rules. Suppose he call out Sara and have her protect him. The PRA would just skip her entirely and attack him straight on. If he goes down, Sara will panic. And if Sara panics, she couldn't defend herself.

Rex stepped away from the window. He grabbed his clothes and took them to the bathroom where he quickly got dressed. Then he went back out and made the bed. He smoothed out the covers, listening for the small putting feet of Pokémon.

After making the room look vacant, Rex grabbed his backpack and walked into the bathroom. He shut and locked the door, then climbed into the bathtub. The bathtub was quite long, able to hold in Rex's frame. He got settled in and used his backpack as a pillow. He got his Model 10 and loaded it. Rex sat it between his legs and laid back.

He slept there for the rest of the night, with one eye open.

**. . .**

"Any trouble?" Tesla asked Nobark as he and both of their teams rode in the back.

"No trouble," said Nobark. "It was easy.

"That's good."

The back of the truck was dark, so dark that he couldn't see. Tesla's arm was wrapped around his great-granddaughter. Her face was pressing against his chest, apparently she had a fear of such darkness.

But being in the back of a dark truck made Tesla felt nauseous.

"Are you feeling okay, Tes?" Nobark asked.

"I'm trying my best not to throw up here."

"You need a barf bag?" Smugleaf asked.

"We don't have one, Smugleaf."

No one said anything more until they got back to Springfield. The truck slowed, it started bouncing up and down like a see-saw. Tesla heard Bubbles groaned, she couldn't handle the nausea either.

Then Mark's Pikachu started groaning.

_"I don't feel so good," _she said.

The truck finally came to a stop. The doors opened.

Tesla, Bubbles, and Mark's Pikachu were the first ones out. They dashed to the curb and puked out their dinner. Tesla took a deep breath and coughed, then moaned, "I hate vans."

"You can walk back if you want," said Nobark as he got down.

"Okay then," said Tesla sarcastically. "I'll walk back, assuming my arthritic knees won't fail me."

Wotter and Woody casually came around the truck. The Discipline Pokémon walked up to Nobark and asked, _"What do you want us to get next?"_

"Other kinds of essentials," said Nobark. "But this time don't be picky. Just get into a store that looks like it has food and raid it, assuming it wasn't raided yet."

Woody nodded. _"Yes, sir," _he then turned around and said to himself, _"Hardware store, here I come."_

Wotter simply followed Woody and disappeared into the town.

Nobark turned to Smugleaf. "Smugleaf," he said. "You take Bubbles and go with Tesla, I have to go check up on Tendon to see how she's doing."

"Sure, Nobark."

He then turned to Bubbles and said in Pokémon speech, _"Try to reward yourself tonight, you need it."_

Bubbles nodded, but said nothing.

After Nobark left, Tesla started for the town. "Smugleaf, follow me. There are two stores we need to stop by and I need your help, I think you will like it."

"Okay, Tesla."

Tesla led his group through Springfield's dark streets. The PRA scampered passed them, running from store to store, snatching whatever loot they believe was invaluable. So far no response from the local populace, and no police of any kind. A dark speck with bat wings flied above, Swoo II perhaps, doing his duties as he was told. There was kind of an odd feeling walking down these streets. Before there were people in this sleepy town, but in night they were all into bed. And for one night, he had control of Springfield. He heard the PRA giggling and laughing to themselves in a whisper, grabbing and taking whatever grub they could get their tiny paws and hands on.

"So what were you looting, Tes?" Smugleaf asked.

"Money," said Tesla. "And lots of it."

"Money?"

"Pokédollars."

"What do you need Pokédollars for?"

Tesla shot a look at her. "Funding for the PRA, of course. We went over this, Smugleaf."

"I just don't understand why you need money. Like what do you do with it?"

"You use it for transactions and currency, Smugleaf. It regulates resources. Humans can be so greedy when it comes to money, so we need to have some cash on hand in case we need to bribe them. Remember me getting my thumb scanned at the café and restaurant?"

Smugleaf nodded. "Yes, I do."

"My fingerprints are linked to my trainer's old account, I use it to function in human society."

"But you've robbed the ATM at the bank."

"And I robbed a lot more cash tonight," then Tesla said. "Why are you making this an issue?"

"I'm not making this an issue," said Smugleaf.

Tesla shot a look at her. "You're confused about it, there's something you can't seem to grasp. Is it?"

Smugleaf paused for a moment. "Yes, I'm confused. About something with your thing with money."

"I'm institutionalized. After decades of being trained by a Pokémon Master, I have lost all sense of what it means to be a Pokémon. And that stint in Kanto didn't help one bit. Just losing everything and having someone build you back up is not an experience you wanna go through, in my opinion."

Then he asked, "You ever thought what your life might be if your trainer was still alive?"

"I've never thought about it," said Smugleaf. "I was too deep in my own problems that I never gave it much thought."

"Then hold that thought, cause I want you to write it down."

Tesla approached the bookstore. It was still locked. Tesla simply reached up and put a charge on the lock, he held it for a moment and the door knob glowed red. It melted off and dripped onto the concrete. Everyone jumped back, fearing of getting burned. But Tesla had no such fear, he simply pushed the door open and walked past the pile of molten steel. He turned around and noticed they weren't following him, he groaned. "Get in here, Smugleaf," he said.

Smugleaf walked around the molten metal and approached Tesla.

"Now follow me," he said.

They walked through the bookstore's high oak shelves. Smugleaf's eyes lit up like a fireworks parade. She glanced around, awestruck at so many books. Tesla led her to the back where he walked up to the journal section. There were several types of journals. Basic and leather. Tesla walked up to the shelves and searched the shelf. He found a good journal. It was a leather hardback with crème-colored paper with a pair of green leaves embroidered on the cover. He grabbed it and handed it to Smugleaf. "You're carrying that."

"Should we grab some books?" she asked.

"That's what Bubbles is here for."

Bubbles crept through the shadows and approached Tesla. She looked nervous, scared. _"Would you find me a book to read to me?"_

_ "Your trainer reads to you?"_

Bubbles nodded. _"I sleep easier at night if someone tells me a story at night."_

"Same for me," said Smugleaf.

Tesla placed both hands on Smugleaf and Bubbles's shoulders. "Then you've come to the right place. Find some books you like and bag them. Can you handle yourselves when I leave you two alone?"

Smugleaf nodded. "Yes."

Suddenly Mark's Pokémon came running into the store. _"We can help," _Emolga chirped. _"Our trainer reads to us too!"_

_ "He's very thorough," _said Plusle.

_"What genre?" _Tesla asked.

_"Non-fiction usually, the books are often current stuff or history things."_

Then Tesla turned to Smugleaf. "Can I trust you _not _to harm Mark's Pokémon."

"Yes," said Smugleaf. "I won't harm them. I won't touch them. I won't even breathe on them!"

Tesla said nothing

Smugleaf turned away, the leather journal trembling in her hands.

Tesla turned to Emolga. "If she does anything bad, you give her a really bad shock. Don't wait to tell me, just do it. You hear me, Emolga?"

Emolga nodded. _"Loud and clear, Tes."_

Tesla turned to Mark's Pikachu. _"You understand too?"_

_ "I'm a Dixierat," _she said. _"A lot of Polly's knowhow got transferred from one generation to the next. I inherited the tell-tale signs of romantic lust," _Mark's Pikachu sighed. _"And I shamefully feel it in Mark."_

_ "Don't we all?" _Minun asked.

Mark's Pokémon giggled. Tesla pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned. _"You guys are silly, just don't get hurt or Mark will raise all sorts of sh*t. I'll be right back."_

The old Pikachu was out of the store before they said goodbye. He walked down the street and turned to an alley. Tesla sat down and grabbed his ears. He listened for any Pokémon or humans nearby. He heard the faint putting of feet. Tesla looked up and saw several PRA members running back toward Fort Wernher, giggling as they carried stuffed bags over their shoulders. Big smiles gripped their faces. They looked happy, filled with pride. Before they looked run-down and depressed, thinking about food and other means of comfort. Now it was in their grasp, but for a limited time only. After tonight, Springfield will be closed off to the public. No goods would be sold, mainly because there weren't any goods to be sold. Tesla knew the pattern well, he seen it so many times he could read it like the back of his hand.

With the PRA well fed and hydrated, they would start thinking about more important things. Like how he was managing Nobark, and where would he take them. They will start to feel more in control. In that case Tesla would have to start backing up his authority, which Nobark would start getting flashbacks from the past.

_It will be like Irvin's time all over again, _he thought.

Nobark would become madder. Once Tesla starts bolstering his own authority, the Scrafty would try to boost his. Mark and his Pokémon are at risk, Nobark would sic Wotter on them and things will escalate out of control real fast.

But before that could happen, Tesla would need an ace to trump whatever card Nobark throws at him.

He dug into his backpack and pulled Mark's hunting knife out its holster. The knife was too big for his tiny hands, so he took out the pocket knife. He packed the hunting knife away and flipped open the pocketknife, it gleamed underneath the star light. Tesla got up and started walking deep into the alley. He looked for a secluded spot. The walls were made out of this brick and mortar. Tall enough and wide enough to block out any sound from escaping. Some alleyways would echo due to the building's height. But not these alleyways, the buildings weren't tall enough. No one will hear anyone or anything peep here.

_Good._

Tesla located a door that leads to a building. It looked like it lead to an apartment complex or a private business. Using the pocketknife, Tesla engraved some scratches into the doorknob and frame. Then he pretended to pry the door open with the knife. The old Pikachu kept an eye on the sky and waited.

A speck with bat-wings soon flied into view.

He raised an arm sparked a flash of light three times, then went back to the door.

Swoo II came down within seconds. _"What's wrong, Tesla?" _he asked.

He tightened his grip on the knife. _"Can't seem to pry this door open. I don't just wanna charge in, I don't know what's on the other side. Can you blast your sonar through the door and see what pings?"_

_ "Like loot and such?" _Swoo II asked.

Tesla nodded. _"And also for Pokémon and their trainers. There might be someone inside hiding, wondering why the phone isn't working and the power is off."_

_ "Everyone in there is sleeping," _said Swoo II. _"Humans and Pokémon alike, they have not noticed a thing."_

Tesla smiled. _"Even better, I see why Nobark praise you as one of the best members in the PRA."_

The Courting Pokémon blushed and said, _"I'm one of his best."_

_ You indeed are, _Tesla thought. _Which is why I called you down._

The old Pikachu stepped aside as Swoo II approached the door, he took a deep breath, getting ready to fire his sonar.

He never did.

The old Pikachu was fast. He jammed the blade right between the Swoobat's skull and spinal cord, destroying his medulla. The Swoobat had no chance. He just dropped like a stone instantly. Just to be sure he was dead, Tesla pumped the blade full of volts. Swoo II twitched and tremor as his disconnected nervous system was fried. Ozone and copper filled the air. Tesla withdrew the blade and Swoo II slumped forward.

The alleyway was quiet.

Tesla listened for anyone breathing in the shadows. Ten seconds past. Then thirty. Nothing.

The old Pikachu glanced at his blade. It was coated up to the handle with blood, smoldering from his electricity, smelling like burnt flesh. Tesla wiped the pocketknife clean on the Swoobat's fur. He gave him a kick to see if he was really dead.

No response.

One of four Swoobats down. Fort Wernher's _grand _security system had cracked. How long it would take for the PRA to notice Swoo II's disappearance? Most conscripts barely, if at all, see him. Even the Swoobats barely see each other. They were so devoted to their duty, they don't have much of a social life.

Tesla's ace was taking shape, just three more Swoobats and it would be complete.

Now he had to dispose of the body.

Tesla went up to a trash can and pulled it open. He pulled out the plastic bag and untied it, then dumped its contents back into the trash can. It was hard. The bag was huge and he was small, but he got it done. He then heaved Swoo II's body into the bag and knotted it, then hoisted him over his shoulder and headed back to the street. He spotted an open dumpster. The lid was open, and inside were other trash bags filled with miscellaneous junk. Tesla bent his knees and thrust the body into the air, the bag containing Swoo II's body arched and landed into the dumpster in a solid thud. It would be the last time Swoo II would ever take to the sky.

_And that's that, _Tesla thought.

He then paused and scanned his surroundings for a second time and listened. Still no spies. Tesla then stuck his pocketknife back into the hunting knife's holster and zipped up his backpack, then head back to the bookstore.

Tesla didn't feel much from killing Swoo II. His conscious wasn't troubled, even though he personally liked the Swoobat and his lust for math. Nothing really moves Tesla anymore. Death was normal to him. He had friends who died from all sorts causes. Old age, suicide, and being mercifully shot by Irvin if they had no hope of recovering. Tesla had killed Pokémon and humans before, but that was using his god-like electricity. It had been forty years since he had killed anything with a knife. The last time was from that stint in Team Rocket, where he had to kill a guard to break out of a cage. As Tesla walked on, a part of him wondered why this had to be. Nobark was the real target here, why not kill him outright and put the PRA out of commission? He didn't exactly have to do all this. Tesla could save all sort of trouble if he had snapped Nobark's scrawny neck the moment he saw him.

_He's my best-friend, _Tesla thought. _I had let him come close, but I pushed him away._

Tesla paused and jumbled the thought in his head. He had been with Nobark for most of the Scrafty's life. His emotions were a nightmare, but he was always control. Mainly because he was always happy. His future looked bright. The world looked bright. Under Irvin's libertarian rule, Nobark never felt so alive even when old age started creeping up on him. But all of that came down when Irvin passed away. Nobark lost it. He was no longer in control. Whatever thing that had gripped him made him commit capital crimes. The death penalty may be banned in Unova, but that doesn't mean Nobark was going to spend his entire life in a mental institution. The authorities will kill him on the spot, because Nobark is not a human being. He is a pocket monster, or Pokémon for short. Pokémon have basically little to no political rights. Most humans have turned a blind eye to it, as most humans are trainers, and most trainers care and love their Pokémon.

_A man chooses, a Pokémon obeys, _Irvin had said.

_Irvin, _Tesla thought. _You can never be more right, and I hate you for it._

When Tesla got back to the bookstore. Mark's Pokémon had stacks of books shoved inside of trash bags. Bubbles kept a firm grip on a bag of writing supplies. Tesla could see the tips of pencils and pens trying to stab through the plastic. Smugleaf kept a firm grip on the blank journal. She cradled it, like it was a bundle of joy.

"You're done?" Tesla asked.

Smugleaf nodded. "Yes."

"Well, let's dump the books in the van and move on to another store."

Smugleaf had Bubbles and Mark's Pokémon carry the books across town. There was less and less PRA conscripts running about, he overheard them talking about heading back to Fort Wernher for the night. It must be getting late, sooner or later they would have to leave. They couldn't be here when the sun comes up. Tesla glanced at Smugleaf. Her eyes were glued forward, pre-occupied with her own thoughts.

"You okay, Smugleaf?" Tesla asked.

Smugleaf didn't answer, she just kept on walking.

"Smugleaf, is there something on your mind?"

The Grass Snake Pokémon glanced at him, then looked away. "I don't really know, for some reason I can't stop thinking. F*ck, I don't even know what I'm thinking."

"Among all the thoughts in your head, which is one that stands out?"

Smugleaf shrugged. "This night. It feels . . . cold. I think it got colder when we walked out of the bookstore."

Tesla nodded. "If we're lucky, we could go get hot cocoa for tonight."

"You and me?" Smugleaf asked.

"I don't know, I don't really feel like drinking beer tonight."

_"Not feeling it!?" _Mark's Pikachu chirped, but kept her voice at a minimum.

The old Pikachu chuckled. "We'll see what will happen after we get back to Fort Wernher."

They approached the moving van and dumped all their loot in the back. It was getting full. There was all sorts of crap piling up on top of each other. The PRA must be really greedy tonight. Smugleaf was reluctant to let go of her new journal, but she eventually sat it with the rest of the books. She then climbed out and Tesla closed the trunk.

"Let's go find an electronics store," said Tesla. "I want to get a hold of a few things from there as well."

They went back into Springfield and located an electronics store. It wasn't that hard to find. All the stores on the street had open doors and broken glass, but this store wasn't touched, until Tesla melted the lock with his Thunderbolt. Inside were rows of electronics. Camcorders, digital snapshot cameras, laptops, videogame consoles, and all sorts of accessories. Tesla looked under the counter and found a roll of trash bags, he pulled out several and tossed them to the group. He unfolded his and started grabbing some thumb drives and memory cards. He got the thirty-two and sixty-four gigabytes, then a couple of one hundred twenty-eights. Smugleaf grabbed several photography cameras from the shelves, Mark's Pokémon grabbed the camcorders. They all shoved it all into their bags and tied them. They panted and coughed and wheezed. They were getting tired, only Smugleaf seemed to be hanging in there.

Tesla grabbed two laptops and handed them to Smugleaf, she stuck it in her trash bag. He then tied his bag of mobile USB devices and stuffed it into his backpack.

"_You wanna loot the cash register?" _Mark's Pikachu asked.

"_You go ahead if you want."_

Mark's Pikachu popped open the register and grabbed all the cash she could find. She stuffed it into her trash bag and tied a knot into it, then heaved it over her shoulder. The Mouse Pokémon was out of breath, she could barely hold herself up.

"Is that everything?" Smugleaf asked.

"Yeah," said Tesla. "We'll wait for Nobark at the van, so try not to fall asleep if you wanna party tonight."

Mark's Pokémon groaned, they couldn't stay awake any longer.

"I know, I'm tired too. But I'm sure you guys are hungry and wanna go to bed with full bellies tonight."

That statement was enough to lift their heads and brighten their eyes. Tesla chuckled, Mark's Pokémon would always eat before they sleep.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	23. Chapter 23

_Chapter 23_

By around 0530, Mark was rudely woken by the sounds of cheering.

For his entire time in the "human" jail, he hadn't heard a sound. The walls were so thick he swore he couldn't hear his own breathing. In fact that was all he heard. His own breathing and heart-beat. Now there was noise, faint noise penetrating the concrete walls. At first he was paranoid, thinking it was his own imagination. As far as he could tell, Fort Wernher was a depressing little sh*thole. Everything living here was depressing, and his poor Pokémon were struggling in it.

He listened to the noise for five minutes before realizing it was real.

And then the cell door opened.

Bright lights flooded the mostly dark cell, it burned Mark's eyes for a moment. He sat up and saw Tesla standing at the door. The old Pikachu looked worse for wear. His eyes had gray circles under them and his eyelids were collapsing. He was holding something. Mark squinted and realized it was his wallet. Tesla tossed it to him, Mark shot up his hands and clasped it mid-air. The old Pikachu shut the door and the cell descended back to darkness.

"Tesla!" Mark screamed out.

No answer.

Mark held up his wallet and opened it up. His driver's license was still there, so was his passport card. His debit and credit cards were still there. His Gamestop pro card was still in its usual spot. Nothing was taken, but it felt thicker than he had remembered.

When he opened it up, he realized why.

Dozens of hundred Pokédollar bills were tightly packed inside the wallet. Mark counted the bills. There were two thousand Pokédollars in all.

At first he felt a little greedy. He had spent most of his cash in his botched adventure and was feeling depressed about it. It took months to save all that money. His hard-earned cash all shot from poor decisions. Tesla seemed to still have a heart for him. Still angry about him, obviously, but at least he still had sympathy.

The cheering was still going on. He heard some whistles blowing and crude music playing.

Something clicked in Mark's head. He connected the cheering to the cash, they fit like a glove. _They're having a party out there, _he realized.

And it was a big party. The Pokémon sounded happy. The depression they were in was lifted, and in its place seemed like a bright future. Tesla had done something big, but what was it? Did this money came out of the old Pikachu's bank account, or did he got it from another source? Mark was suspicious. Whatever Tesla did brought good to the PRA. Was he sharing some of the spoils with him to make up for what happened in Soho? Could be, as he was in good terms with his Pokémon. But that doesn't seem to be it.

"What are you trying to pull, Tesla?" Mark asked the ceiling.

He got his ID back and more than enough money of what he started off with. Now he wanted his Pokémon back.

Mark tucked his wallet into his pocket and closed his eyes. He thought of Emolga, his Pikachu, his Plusle and Minun. They must have felt he betrayed them. This Smugleaf character seemed to be prodding that fact with a stick. What was she doing with them, and how in the world does Emolga trust her: A bi-sexual Pokémon with an appetite for sex of all genders?

He held that thought in his mind until he fallen back to sleep.

**. . .**

Resupplied, the Pokémon Resistance Army partied for the rest of the night. A few tired Pokémon went straight to bed. To them, celebration could wait for morning. Mark's Emolga and Cheering Pokémon duo went back to the den to sleep, but Mark's Pikachu stayed up, wanting to drink beer with her great-grandfather.

Tendon was nowhere to be seen, but nobody noticed. Tesla got a beer into his system, then watched Mark's Pikachu drank hers. She downed it fast like a Dixierat would. She didn't spit it out and complained it tasted nasty. Alcohol will taste bitter to those who never drank it before and there was no way anyone can hide that fact. Mark's Pikachu drank her beer dry like it was a sugary drink, belched, then moved on to a second one. Tesla watched as she tipped the butt of the beer bottle toward the ceiling, then she fell over. The bottle dropped and rolled across the floor, bone dry.

"I never seen anyone drink like that before," said Smugleaf.

Tesla shrugged. "Sad to say that alcoholism runs in the family."

Mark's Pikachu hiccupped and rolled onto her side, she giggled and mumbled unintelligible words under her breath. Tesla pulled her up and sat her beside him, she hiccupped again and laughed, then slumped onto his shoulder and started snoring. The old Pikachu stroke the back of her head, he kissed her forehead, then turned back toward Nobark. "So what happened to Tendon?"

"She got greedy. Apparently she had gotten more medical supplies than the infirmary could hold. Her team is sorting it out right now. She also kidnapped the Pokémon Center Audino posted there."

Tesla frowned. "She did what?"

"That Audino who works at the Pokémon Center, Tendon bagged him. He's sitting in the Pokémon jail as of this minute, wondering what is going on."

That didn't sound good. Capturing a Pokémon, especially an Audino from a Pokémon Center, will bring a lot of police attention. Tendon could have incapacitated or even killed it, but capturing it would bring a burden. "Did you say _he?" _Tesla asked.

"The Audino's a male," said Nobark. "What Tendon plans to do with him, I don't know. But it would be nice to have another Audino working for the PRA."

Tesla thought about stating that Audinos were institutionalized in a different system, and were not willing to transfer to another. But since Tendon came from that same system and she made the change, the old Pikachu never brought it up. That was Tendon's business, not Nobark's.

Nobark took another swig of his beer and patted Smugleaf on the back. "You did great tonight," he said. "I'm proud of you, Smugleaf. You kept your head cool when Tesla toppled over on that power pole."

Smugleaf blushed, but said nothing.

_"You still feeling sore from that, Tesla?" _Woody asked.

_"Still sore," _Tesla replied. _"But I've taken harsher beating than a simple fall."_

Wotter sipped his beer. _"I bet you do."_

Tesla glared at him, then sighed. The room went silent. The old Pikachu sat his beer aside and yawned. "Remember when we first met, Nobark? Sixty years ago? You were a few weeks old at the time."

Nobark nodded. "Among all the holes in my life, the one at the beginning is the one I never forgotten."

Tesla chuckled. "My, you were a tiny little Scraggy. Irvin actually sent me to find a Scraggy egg, believe it or not. I think it isn't that far from here actually, back then there was a Scraggy and Scrafty population."

"Still there, actually," said Nobark. "I've checked, the Shedding and Hoodlum Pokémon are still around."

"Yes, I remember clearly. I was wondering through that area when you pop out of the bushes. Just walked out after you were doing your business. You noticed me and gave me your best Leer. I wasn't impressed, and boy did that made you mad."

"I charged and head-butted you for that."

Tesla smiled. "But it was a cute little head-butt, you knock me to the ground and started pecking me like a bird. I couldn't stop laughing."

"Was my pelt down?" Nobark asked.

"All the way to your ankles," said Tesla. "Oh boy, I remember Sparkles saying you have such a cute butt."

Tesla turned to Smugleaf. "Had you ever seen his ass, Smugleaf? I'm telling you. He has a well-defined butt-cheeks underneath that pelt."

Smugleaf giggled, Nobark blushed. Wotter and Woody tried their best not to laugh.

"Med really liked grabbing those butt-cheeks of yours," said Tesla. "She never stopped talking about it. At times she would drop it into a conversation at random, 'Oh, he has such a sexy ass.' Hark, a bi-pedal ass has more definition than my quadruped rear-end."

For the first time in a while, Wotter giggled and uttered out, _"Queer." _

Tesla turned to him and spoke in human speech. "Oh now you smile. I remember how cheery you used to be. You would've been great friends with Med, maybe you would spend some quality time with her, like Nobark had. If only I was there . . . I would have tried to persuade Irvin to bring you into the WA. We would have helped you recover back to your old self. Even though Irvin might make it a temporary arrangement, he had close friends where they could take good care of you. We would have spared you your misery."

Wotter frowned. He stared at him for a moment, then nodded. _"I appreciate the offer."_

Tesla replied in Pokémon speech. _"It's not too late. Those friends are still around, and Mark has connections. Good people. Dumb as f*ck, but really good people. Smugleaf, Woody, if any of you need to leave Unova for whatever reason, Faraday Island is your best bet. The populace there love rebelling Pokémon. Right now Faraday Island is trying to get independence from Unova. If you say I sent you, they would take you in. They'll turn a blind eye to whatever bad deeds you've done and welcome you with open arms."_

_ "They have more Pokémon rights there," _said Nobark. _"Irvin's doing, of course."_

Tesla nodded. _"Best and worst liberal Pokémon Master the world ever had."_

The old Pikachu hoisted his great-granddaughter over his shoulders. "Okay, I better get her to bed. Tomorrow we'll unload that truck and get the supplies organized, then we'll clean the mold off the furniture, then we'll set up internet access, maybe we'll figure out how to get the water utilities back up and running so the conscripts would enjoy a nice shower in their restroom. Once all that's done, we can focus on more important things, like getting outside help for the PRA."

He carried Mark's Pikachu toward the door. "Goodnight, guys."

"Goodnight, Tes," said Smugleaf.

"Oh, Tesla?" Nobark asked.

Tesla turned to Nobark.

"Thank you for all your help. I admit, I'm a wreck, and I would have never done it without you."

Tesla smiled. "You're welcome."

**. . .**

When the door closed behind him, Nobark let out a sigh. Wotter sat there and stared at where Tesla just sat, then turned to Nobark. _"You know he has a secret agenda, right?"_

_ "Yes," _said Nobark. _"He told me on the day he got here, this is all just a cloak, hiding the real thing."_

_ "You mean he's lying to us?"_ Woody asked.

_"No," _said Nobark. _"Tesla never bullsh*ts, he really meant it when he motivated the PRA to get resupplied. He even asked me personally to jail that Mark guy. Matt's grandson has a temper, just like his father."_

Wotter emptied his beer into his gut and set it aside. _"He's here to kill you, isn't he."_

That was no question. Nobark simply nodded. _"Yes, he's going to kill me eventually. I can't blame him. I'm losing self-control, you know how I am with my . . . uh, temper."_

_ "Should we trust him?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"He's not here to wipe us out. You heard what he said about a new life in Faraday Island, he's giving you guys that option. But as for me, my death certificate is already out of the printer, maybe he had signed it himself."_

A moment of silence.

"So what is going to become of the PRA?" Smugleaf asked in human speech.

"Well, Soho is the only way out of here to Faraday Island. The PRA might travel to other ports to find a boat, but there's a lot of them. It's going to be chaotic, and some may not even wanna go at all." Then Nobark added, "If you wanna go to Faraday Island, that's your choice. It has a different political system than Unova, so you can carry weapons around. But be warned. There are more police officers in Faraday Island than in Unova, _a lot_ more. But their laws are ridiculously more relaxed. To the average Faradian, law enforcement is more of a theme than its actual purpose."

_Well that sounds pleasing to hear, _Wotter thought.

He asked, _"What's the plan, Nobark?"_

_ "We gain leverage on him," _said Nobark. Then he spoke in a low whisper. _"That boy in Carbondale. If we can get a hold of him and his friends and Pokémon, we'll turn the tables on who's in charge. Tesla talked a lot about him, he said the boy saved his life. I don't know how but somehow my old friend is close to him."_

_ "When should we make a move?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"Tomorrow afternoon – well, later this afternoon really– we'll keep Tesla occupied. Smugleaf, get that Emolga you've picked up at Vegas City. He's cute and irresistible, he'll lure them in as bait."_

Wotter let out a yawn. _"If we're going to grab his balls tomorrow, I better get some shuteye. I don't wanna be anymore sleep deprived than I have to."_

_ "Sleep a little late today, Wotter. You've earned it."_

_ "Thank you, sir."_

The Discipline Pokémon got up and stepped out of the conference room, when he closed the door behind him he groaned. It had been a long night, and now Nobark wanted to get something done later in the morning. _So much for personal solitude. _Yes, Wotter was used to work, it kept his mind sharp, and in some way, entertained. But he had never done this much work in a short period of time before. It felt tiresome, stressing. Wotter had worked so hard to keep stress off his mind, his health practically need it. Major change was happening, the Dewott realized he was caught off-guard. His personal life would soon be intruded upon by yellow rats and green snakes with legs. He needed to compensate, and fast.

Which means he'll need to start getting rid of liabilities, and other loose ends.

Wotter walked passed Tesla's bedroom and the den. The Discipline stopped for a moment and stared at the door. It reeked of sh*tdicks. His temper flared for a moment, then cooled. Nothing he could do about those fat slobs from this Kissinger kid.

But that sh*tdick of a Spray Pokémon. Now _that, _he can take care of.

Wotter stepped out of the command bunker and into a party frenzy. Pokémon around Fort Wernher were singing and cheering, celebrating the sh*t they had looted. Fresh pillows and blankets. Good comfort food, clean bottled water. Simple basics humans take for granted had been denied to the PRA for so long, the return was like a shot of morphine into the system. Wotter navigated his way through the bumbling drunks and stoned Pokémon. Usually they would glance at him and seized up in fear. Not tonight. They just either waved at Wotter or say, "Hi." Respectfully Wotter gave them an occasional nod and a "Hello." They didn't stop to chat, they just resumed dancing to music, which sounded worse than the crap he heard in human civilization.

He stepped into the elite bunker and walked into his bedroom. Seeing his room so clean felt surreal, it barely even smelled like his room anymore. _Change is coming, better move fast. _Wotter approached his bed and pulled up the mattress. Underneath was a small shank, an old screwdriver with the tip ground to a point. He found it two years ago while scouring an industrial sector of a city. It was an old screwdriver. The chrome was gone, replaced with ugly rust. The handle had bits and dents, as if it had took an intense beating in a blender. The tip was a Philips head. It was corroded, unusable. Wotter had found the screwdriver in Soho years ago, he took it back to Fort Wernher where Woody ground the head to a fine point, turning it into a shank. Wotter picked up the shank and held it up. The sharpened tip twinkled, ready for use.

Wotter stepped out of the bedroom and approached his makeshift prison cell, he pulled the deadbolt open and walked inside.

The Spray Pokémon was asleep. Her bonds had dug into her wrists and ankles. Dried blood, and fresh urine covered the floor. There was some feces smeared on the wall. Wotter held up the shank and approached the Panpour.

The Panpour looked up.

Wotter was fast. He grabbed the Panpour's bushy hair and forced her head down, then jammed the shank's tip straight into the back of her neck. She didn't scream, or fought back, she just went limp, her off-switch tripped.

_Thank Arceus for the kill spot, _Wotter thought.

To make sure she was dead, Wotter stirred the shank into her brain cavity. When he felt he had ground up her medulla enough he pulled the shank out. It was stained red, bright red. Wotter wiped the shank on the Panpour's fur, then held it up. Blood still cling to the groves of the rust.

_"You made my shank dirty," _he said to the Panpour.

The Spray Pokémon was unresponsive.

Good. That way she won't scream when she throws her into the pit.

**. . .**

The internal clock in Tesla's head chimed around eight-o-clock, only three hours of sleep. He moaned, he felt like crap. His stomach and intestines were making unusual bubbly noises and his head ached. He wanted to go back to sleep, but his system wouldn't let him. He sat up and flipped on the ceiling lights. Once again, his great-granddaughter was there. Snuggled right beside him. Tesla stroke Mark's Pikachu's head, her ear twitched. The old Pikachu reached up and grabbed it. He held up her ear and leaned over, then blew into her ear drum.

She was stirred awake almost instantly. Mark's Pikachu whined, rudely wakened. She tossed and turned, struggling to reclaim sleep. Then her eyes opened. She sat up and looked at Tesla. Her eyes were loaded with tears, their noses barely centimeters apart.

_"Why are you crying?" _Tesla asked.

Mark's Pikachu sobbed. _"I don't know. I feel sick, Tesla. My belly isn't feeling right."_

Tesla wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she pressed her face against his chest. He sat there comforting her, trying to soothe her anguish. She sniffled and sobbed and constantly wiped her face with her wrist. Tesla squeezed harder, she started to quiet down.

_"I want Mark," _she muttered.

Tesla said nothing, he just pressed his nose against her forehead and cradled her head.

Mark's Pikachu asked, _"How much did I drink last night?"_

Tesla said, _"Two beers. You passed out after your second beer, but you were quite tired after last night's raid."_

_ "The raid, oh now I remember."_

Tesla helped Mark's Pikachu down from the bed, then offered his shoulder. He took her out of the room and walked her outside. The sun was well over the horizon, blazing with a golden glow. The sunlight made Tesla's eyes burn. Pikachu squealed and buried her face into his chest. _"My eyes," _she cried.

_"You think you're going to throw up?" _Tesla asked.

As if on cue, Mark's Pikachu pulled away from him. She gripped her stomach, held it for a moment, then lurched forward. Tesla stepped back and watched as she puked yesterday's meal into the grass. _Poor thing, _Tesla thought. Mark's Pikachu just wanted to have a good time, he hadn't expected a hangover. Then again, she just drank just a few hours ago, maybe this wasn't the hangover yet.

She held her head up, her eyes looking heavy. _"I wanna go back to bed._

Tesla took her by the hand and led her back inside. This time he took her in the den, where the rest of Mark's Pokémon were sleeping. Since they had fallen asleep the moment they got back from their raid, they had crashed and were sleeping heavily. The sound of the door creaking open made Emolga stir. She looked up, her eyes shot open. _"What's wrong with Pikachu!?" _

_"She's just having a hangover," _said Tesla. _"And so am I, but she isn't an experienced drinker."_

_ "I just hadn't had beer in a while," _murmured his great-granddaughter.

Plusle and Minun sat up. Their eyes bulged when they saw their close-friend feeling sick. They said nothing, they just sat there in frozen horror.

Emolga got up and wrapped her blanket around Pikachu, then took her to the couch. They helped her up and she lay back on the couch. She moaned and shut her eyes. _"Thank you," _she said.

_"Are you feeling alright, Tesla?" _Emolga asked.

_"No," _said Tesla. _"I am sleep deprived, half-drunk, and just as ill as my great-granddaughter here. So if you don't mind, I too need go back to bed."_

Tesla was just about to turn back to the door when Mark's Pikachu shot up a hand. _"No, don't leave! Please, Tesla! I don't want you to go!"_

Normally Tesla would shrug such a statement off, but flashbacks came over him. His final departure from his mother, his final departure from Polly, his final departure from Volta. All of which were emotional and heartbreaking. He had loved them all, and then they were gone. Taken away. For some reason he couldn't make himself love Mark's Pikachu as much as his other relatives and loved ones. Mainly because of her stupidity, as it constantly get on his nerves. Another was Mark, who constantly tease and berate him whether a chance is possible. Here was a family member who demands his love. If she was feeling well, she might be begging for him on her knees.

Tesla briefly pinched the bridge of his nose, then looked up at Mark's Pikachu. _"I won't leave you, sweetie."_

Mark's Pikachu let out a weak smile. Tesla got up on the couch and snuggled right beside her. He wrapped his arms around her body and pressed his nose against her cheek. Emolga covered them both with the blanket, Tesla readjusted it and whispered into Pikachu's ear. _"Are you feeling hungry?"_

_ "No, surprisingly."_

Tesla reached for her great-granddaughter's love handles and squeezed it, she twitched and tried to pull away. _"I promised you and your friends that I would get you a big meal. When you wake up, you better be starving, you squishy mouse."_

She giggled when Tesla pressed his nose against her neck. _"Stop it!"_

_ "But you're so soft," _said Tesla. _"You've inherited Polly's plushness."_

Tesla and his great-granddaughter lay on their side. Emolga and the Cheering Pokémon duo left them be. They left the room, looking to get some breakfast to eat.

**. . .**

Smugleaf had been light on the beer last night, so there was no major hangover when she woke up. Like everyone else, she was tired, but she forced herself awake. There was business that was needed to be done. She could feel her own fate becoming more and more uncertain with each passing day.

Bubbles slept comfortably in her arms. Last night's tedious raid was a major conscious attack on her. Stealing was wrong, she would say. And yet she participated, mainly because Tesla forced her to. It was by far the only harsh moment Bubbles personally experienced a verbal attack from the old Pikachu. For the most part, Tesla was passive about her. He understood what she was going through and gave her his deep sympathies, but it was no excuse for him to be a little hard on her. Lost a loved one because someone murdered him? Don't sit there and wallow in your depression, get up and work the stress out. So Bubbles helped out hauling off books, weapons, digital gadgets, some food and other goodies. Her stubby arms and legs made things difficult, but she prevailed. Wotter hadn't shown any signs of bitter resentment to her during the entire raid, as if he was convinced she the point.

_But what was the point? _Smugleaf thought.

Wotter was mostly supportive of Tesla, even though the old Pikachu had said he would severely punish him for any wrongdoing he might commit. Like Nobark, Tesla and Wotter had known each other for a long time on a personal level. The Mouse Pokémon knew the Discipline Pokémon then and the Discipline Pokémon now. They had much in common. They had experienced horrible life-changing moments in their lives and they both focused on authority and some . . . twisted, institutional idea. But that was where all similarities end. Wotter had loved his trainer for a long time till the day he was rejected. Tesla never liked his in the first place. The end product was the same, in its own vague and twisted way.

Smugleaf sat up and stretched her arms. She glanced over at last night's loot. There were stacks upon stacks of books, still sealed in white trash bags, sitting on the mold-covered folding table. The leather journal with the leaf emblem on the cover sat on top of the stack closest to her. She stretched out a vine and picked it up, then opened it. Rows of acceptably placed lines were printed on each page. They were thin and gray, not competition for attention with whatever text written between them. Smugleaf turned to the first page, then flipped a couple until she was on the fifth. She stared at it for a moment, it was ready to be written on. Smugleaf extended a vine and scooped up a pencil. It was mechanical one with 0.5mm lead. Smugleaf fumbled it in her hand until she got a good grip. She held the tip over the first line and hesitated. Smugleaf loved writing, but was more used to a typewriter. All she had to do was press a button to make a single letter and it was instantly printed on the page. She wasn't comfortable enough for handwriting. Her fingers were tiny compared to the big pencil.

Smugleaf didn't know what to write, let alone how to write each word. She could print each character or connect them all with cursive. Smugleaf was used to print, but she wanted to try cursive. She had seen several reference sheets of the alphabet in cursive. For one thing it looked attractive, formal even. Smugleaf's heart raced, sweat trailed down her neck as she wondered what to put down.

_What should I write about? _

The raid was recent, and Tesla had said to record it. So why not write about that?

Smugleaf pressed the tip of the pencil against the page of the journal and wrote her first entry. The letters were crude and almost illegible, but improved with every paragraph. She had to erase several words and sentences for grammar mistakes. It was tense. She wanted her thoughts to be read by anybody who were to pick up this journal. Maybe it would come in handy one day, when it was time to tell some journalist or therapist her story.

That last thought gave her some motivation.

She wrote a little faster and had to correct more and more words. But she was doing it, she was getting her thoughts down. Hopefully she wouldn't get any misunderstanding when someone reads it.

**. . .**

Nobark sat in his near-empty room. He pressed his back against the wall, his knees propped up, his feet planted on the concrete floor. It was cold, but Nobark didn't mind. His eyes were mostly focused on the PVC folder. It was propped opposite of him against the wall with the pictures and firearms. The plastic gleamed underneath the faint florescent lights, almost like it was being prepped for interrogation. Maybe that was what it was. An interrogation. Mark had brought these files to him because he wanted him to make sense of them. What was there to make sense of? Crudely handwritten essays? Old digital files from a bygone era? Tesla was infuriated with Mark for coming over and had him stuck in that prison cell. Was it that file about the old Pikachu singing to his long-lost mate?

Or was it the fact that Irvin's ghost was trying to haunt him?

For the most part, Nobark hadn't had any paranormal experiences through his sixty-three years of life. After Irvin's passing, not a single thought of the supernatural came to mind. The personalities in his head were more troublesome than some undead deity. What kind of files did Mark salvaged? He said he salvaged all of them, but he had no way to access the thumb drives. Yes, Tesla had _foraged _some laptops for personal use. But it may take some time to get them set up. He remembered laptops being boxy-like and desktops white and blocky, with big heavy cathode-ray tube monitors with glossy glass screens. How much had the world changed since he had last left human civilization?

Change, change scared him. He had always been a conservative Pokémon, much like Tesla. Heck, most of Irvin's Pokémon were conservatives. Maybe all of them were conservative. They don't want change, they don't want their lives as they know it to come crashing down on top of their heads. Irvin had always been a liberal human being. Once a year he would move pictures the reference posters he kept tacked to the wall to new spots in the farmhouse. He would do it in the middle of the night, after everyone was well past asleep. It drove everybody nuts. His Pokémon would wake up and feel like they were in somebody else's home. That poster on gardening used to be here. That poster of gun cleaning used to be over there. Why was the poster about charging batteries in the hallway? What good would it do there? Tesla never complained about this, but he made no secret of his own frustration.

Major change had happened. Here, sitting on the other side of the room, was a collection of the life before, including his own words he had written. Nobark could barely remember writing the essays, let alone how many. He remembered writing two, but there were several dozen sheets. How many had he'd written, and what did they contain?

Nobark stood up and approached the PVC folder. He held his good hand over it. Nobark kept it hovered over the folder for a minute. Though he couldn't access the thumb sticks, he could still take a look his own work. Should he take a look at his essays from his life before?

The Hoodlum Pokémon panted, then withdrew his hand. He gripped his chest. It didn't feel right. His heart would feel sore on occasion and his left shoulder would get sore. Old age, no doubt about it. Maybe it was some sort of heart disease, brought on by Anger. Nobark sighed, a heart attack was a real possibility. Tendon can do so much but treating heart disease was not her field. She could do no more but comfort him.

_You did this to me, _Nobark told Anger. _You made my heart faulty._

Anger's voice spoke inside his mind with a devilish-tone. _I am you, Nobark. You did this to yourself._

The lobe wear Anger theoretically resides throbbed. Nobark gripped his head and moaned. "I am definitely screwed," he said to no one in particular.

_Then set up your life insurance, _said Judgment. _Don't bring the PRA down with you like Irvin had with the WA._

From all the decisions Judgment made, that was by far the best it had made yet. "Yes," he thought aloud. "Yes, I will! I'll get to it right now!"

_Mark and Ash, _Judgment said. _Deal with them both, and Tesla will do the rest of the work for you._

"Yes, he will. My old friend will!"

Nobark hugged himself for a moment, then jogged out of his room.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	24. Chapter 24

_Chapter 24_

Nobark got the PRA up. Still reeling from last night's party, they slid and crawled out of their beds moaning. They hiccupped, burped, and groaned as they marched outside, then stood in line formation. Not exactly uniform or straight, but Nobark didn't care. He ordered them to start unloading the van of supplies and get them sorted for storage. Reminded of their courage during the raid, their spirits rose. Nobark threw open the moving van and the PRA started unloading. They picked up one bag at a time and hauled it to the warehouse. Woody was already up and wide awake. Realizing that Nobark had started organizing the supplies, he opened up the door leading outside the base. The same door that Tesla first came to Fort Wernher days earlier. The PRA poured in and out, moving supplies from the moving van to the warehouse shelves.

Woody helped store them. He kept the rows and organization neat and uniform. With the trash cleaned out of the warehouse, there was more room to walk in. The tools were moved into Woody's main living and work area and he stashed the tools himself. His radio was playing, tuned to the news. An electronic human voice, female it seemed, spoke from its aging speaker about Springfield's blackout. Four police officers and six civilians were found dead. Twelve out of sixteen stores were cleaned of goods, most with their cash registers empty. The news anchor said that the damage done to the Soho police station would take weeks, if not months, to repair. There was no mention of the PRA, which was strange, as the evidence left behind clearly showed that it was Pokémon, not humans, who caused the damage.

The voice squawked throughout the entire time the PRA was unloading the van. It practically echoed throughout the warehouse room, loud enough for everyone to hear clearly. There were mixed feelings about the news. Some Pokémon felt they had once again showed their true gain, others wondered if the humans really knew it was them. Nobark was just as skeptical. He hadn't expected this kind of reaction. Usually the news would announced who they were and their cause. It happened in Soho and it happened in Vegas City, it happened pretty much everywhere in Unova. But not in this case. Not one word of the PRA, or even a reference thereof. Nobark puzzled why they didn't mention about them. Is that an ominous sign of something?

Woody came up with an explanation. When they raided Soho, they didn't make a lot of noise and broke as much windows as they used to. In previous raids they would announced their arrival with battle cries, chants, firearms discharging into the air. That pretty much told everyone the PRA was in town. But Tesla had the PRA leave their guns at base, so there were no gunshots. He also pressured them to stay silent, even threatened discipline to make sure they complied. It made sense. The PRA's subtle behavior last night wasn't like them. Do the humans even question it was them?

**. . .**

Mark awoke to the sound of the cell door creaking open. He looked up. It was Nobark. He looked just as tired as Tesla earlier and just as sleep deprived, but more alert and focused. The Hoodlum Pokémon asked, "Who did you come to Soho with besides your Pokémon?"

Mark said, "Ash Ketchum, he went through the checkpoint with some hassle but made it out okay."

"He had two friends with him, right?"

"Yes."

"And they're all Pokémon trainers."

"Yes, one of them is a gym leader of Straton City."

Nobark nodded. "Okay, that's all I need to know."

Before Mark could ask him why, Nobark slammed the door and locked it.

Mark sat there for a moment. Nobark already knows that information, did he asked him those questions again to be sure?

_What is he planning?_

**. . .**

Smugleaf nearly jumped out of bed when her bedroom door burst open. She through the covers aside and reached for her knife, only to realize it was Nobark. "Be ready in ten minutes," he said.

He left before Smugleaf could ask what was going on.

Nonetheless, if Nobark looked like he was in a hurry, she better cooperate. Smugleaf jumped out of bed and pulled her fridge door open. It was fully stocked with new food. Yogurt, beer, bottled water, some fruit. Smugleaf grabbed an apple and a bottle of water. She ate the apple to its core, then drank down all the water. Smugleaf accidentally breathed in some water and coughed, she sat the water bottle on the table and cleared her throat.

Bubbles stirred and sat up. _"What's wrong, Smugleaf?"_

Smugleaf blinked and turned to Bubbles. _"Everything's fine, Bubbles. Just go back to bed."_

The Sea Otter Pokémon grabbed the blanket and pulled it back over her, then slumped her head back on the pillow.

Smugleaf stepped out of the bedroom and head outside. The sun was a little bright, Smugleaf squinted until her eyes adjust. She stood there and waited.

Nobark came back exactly ten minutes later. Cabot's Emolga was walking beside him, unsure of himself. Scout was walking behind, and so was Woody. Both Pokémon were wearing backpacks and carrying MP5s. Emolga had nothing but the fur on her back, he was supposed to be the bait.

"What's the plan?" Smugleaf asked.

"Capture Ash Ketchum and his associates," said Nobark. "He is a Pokémon trainer, so you'll have to lure him into your capture zone. Have Emolga play with his heart. Once he got a bite, wait till he reels them in, then attack. I'll have the Swoobats fly above to provide air support if you need it."

"Throw in three more conscripts and an extra Swoobat," said Smugleaf. "Have the Swoobats circle from above and give the conscripts and array of guns and crossbows. If we're going to introduce ourselves, we're going to need to make a convincing first impression. Give him a taste of our power, then show him the full force at base. Ash would be so overwhelmed, we'll bring him to his knees."

Nobark smiled. "That's brilliant! I'll send more conscripts on your way. Just find a suitable checkpoint. Not too far from Carbondale, yet not too far from Fort Wernher. We don't want to spook Ash into thinking we're the PRA until we control the situation."

"Alrighty, Nobark."

When Nobark was out of earshot, Smugleaf grouped with the team. The crash squad formed a circle. They were silent, not to sure what to make of Nobark's plan. Smugleaf had handled taking down trainers before, but she had never took one alive. Not only that, she never had took on more than one trainer at a single sitting. There were three trainers to worry about, plus a dozen or so Pokémon secretly stashed away, ready to be called out in case of dire emergency. It will be a life-changing experience.

_"So how are we going to do this?" _Woody asked.

_"Like Nobark had said," _said Smugleaf. _"He'll be sending in reinforcements once our checkpoint is set up."_

Emolga raised his hand. _"So we're supposed to lead this kid into our zone, then bag them?"_

Smugleaf turned to the Sky Squirrel. _"Actually, _you _will be the one who will lead them in. We'll be the ones who'll bag them."_

Emolga shook his head. _"I'm not sure about this, we don't even know how the kid would react."_

Now that was a good question. How exactly would the kid react? Smugleaf closed her eyes and thought of an example. Tesla came to mind, how he ambushed her on that road, and how he commandeered her knife and held it against her. She felt so terrified of the old Pikachu that she nearly had heart attacks just thinking about him. She had killed a lot of Pokémon with her knife, and seeing how fast she wound up on the wrong end of her blade felt almost as frightening as the time her trainer was killed. Smugleaf opened her eyes and said to Emolga. _"He's going to sh*t himself, I guarantee it, but only if we draw our guns and take their Pokémon hostage."_

_ "Will we assimilate them into the PRA?" _Woody asked.

_"That is up to Nobark to decide. Right now we just worry about getting a hold of them first."_

**. . .**

Rex woke up from his crude bathtub bed. He turned toward the bathroom door, light was pouring in through its gaps. He sat up. His back was stiff, his butt was sore, he was in a world of hurt. Rex stepped out of the bathroom. Light was pouring into the hotel room, the blinds' cloth design only diffuse the light. He checked his watch. Almost nine hundred hours. Rex sighed, he had survived the night, thankfully in one piece.

He pulled out Sara's Poké ball and tossed it. "Sara, come on out!"

The Raichu's plasma silhouette formed, then her features appeared. She wasn't happy, but she was no less glad to see Rex. She sniffled and held up her stubby arms. Rex got down no his knees and hugged her. "There there, girl," he said. "You're safe now."

"Rai Rai," she whimpered.

Somehow she had sensed the PRA, maybe she was awake all night. Her eyes had gray bags underneath them, so she might have stayed up some hours last night. Rex stroked her head as she cried into his shoulder. Even though she was a Raichu, in some ways she was still a Pikachu to him. The tuff of overgrown fur on her head seemed to be there since her Pichu days. No matter how many times Rex combed it, it won't stay down. When Rex asked if he could shave it off, Sara covered her head in panic. It took an hour to reassure her he won't cut off her hair.

Sara reached up and licked Rex in the cheek, he hanged onto her for a full minute, then let go. "Let's get ready, Sara," said Rex. He pulled out Volts's Poké ball and called him out. "Volts, come out!"

Volts materialized and ran over to Sara, his mother scooped him up and cradled him. Her stubby hands struggled to get a good grip, she was fumbling with him as she struggled to hold him. He didn't cry, but he let out a soft whimper.

Rex stripped naked and walked back into the bathroom. Sara and Volts followed behind. They climbed into the bathtub with him as Rex plugged the drain and turned on the shower. He didn't bother scrubbing his hair, he simply crouched and started shampooing Sara and Volts's fur. They held up their arms and rotated three-sixty degrees as Rex soaped them up. Then he handed the soap bottle to them and they scrubbed their butts clean. Once finished with the shower, Rex hoped out and brushed his teeth with his travel toothbrush. Sara had her own, she first brushed her teeth with it, then used that same toothbrush to brush Volts's. Rex slipped his clothes back on and checked his wallet and backpack. Sara washed their toothbrushes out and handed it back to him, he packed it away and put his backpack on. He held up their Pokémon to return them.

But they refused, they simply held up their hands and shook their heads no.

"You're going to attract attention, guys," Rex warned.

They just shrugged, then they held out their arms toward Rex.

"Okay, you can stay out. But I'll have to carry Volts in my backpack, I don't want him running around and be a handful."

Sara clutched Volts and whined. "Rai!"

"No, Sara. That's the deal. I can't worry about where the two of you are if the PRA comes in for an attack."

Sara lowered her head in remission, then held up Volts. Rex took him and plunked him on his shoulders. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon knew what to do. He unzipped Rex's backpack and climbed inside, then disappeared inside.

"Let's go, Sara."

Sara nodded. "Raichu Rai."

Rex and Sara stepped out of the hotel room. The whole street was covered with cops. Crown Victorias with URP insignias drove down the streets, their emergency lights flashing with the sirens silent. The cops patrolling the streets had riot guns in their hands. Mossberg persuaders, the same guns the Soho PD had. They were nervous. Their hands fumbled across the pistol grips and barrels. They weren't comfortable holding them, maybe they were never trained with shotguns before. One officer's eyes shot toward Sara, she stared back. Both were scared. The cop tightened his hand on the persuader's grip, his finger snugged in the trigger guard.

"Sara," said Rex. "Don't stare."

The Mouse Pokémon turned back to Rex, her eyes were glistening with tears.

The two walked down the street. More squad cars passed by. A few police sirens blare in the distance. They passed by several cops, all were armed with shotguns and SMG's. Their eyes either rolled over Rex or briefly glanced at him. Paranoia dripped off of them like sludge, staining everything they touched. The convenience stores and restaurants were covered with police tape. Unbroken streams were pulled across building after building, each stream may had come from individual roads. Each store's front door was wide open, investigators were constantly ducking under the tape as they walked back and forth into the stores. Rex peaked through one of the windows. All he saw were empty shelves, no products were up and sell. He went to the next store, same thing. All the stores were empty. Ironically the local bookstore was also a crime scene. Shelves and tables had void space where book once sat. Rex was puzzled. He knew the burglars last night were Pokémon, so why did they raid the bookstore? Do they know how to read? Highly unlikely. Literature was a human thing, completely taboo for Pokémon.

An occasional store would have broken glass spilled over the sidewalks. All came from the front door, by far all the display windows were untouched. Springfield's police station was a different story. One of the window panes was smashed, glass littered the mulch around the bushes. There was an ambulance sitting outside. They were just finished securing a gurney and had shut the back doors. The emergency lights wasn't flashing, no siren either. The ambulance pulled away, it was in no rush back to the hospital.

_That's not a good sign._

Sara brushed up against his legs and hugged him. Rex reached down and scratched her ears, it did little to comfort her.

"Sir," said a voice.

Rex turned and saw a police officer standing there. He had no shotgun, but his hand was on his nightstick. He was just as nervous, but seemed calm. "Sir," he said again. "I need to ask you to move along, this is a crime scene."

"What happened?" Rex asked.

"I don't know. What's obvious is whoever had done this ain't human," then he said. "I can't believe Pokémon would do such a thing, what kind of incentive do they have to pillage a small town?"

"Ideology," said Rex. "I'm from Soho, the whole town is martial law because of this."

"They're a port, they have goods coming in and out. A lot of money is at stake. They can afford more cops and put up walls, but Springfield is just a small town where everybody knows everybody. We can't afford the expenses to defend ourselves. They might as well kill of the entire town."

The cop paused and glanced at Sara, she shivered and looked away. "Pokémon who are not involve are more scared than us," he said. "They're scared is because of the prejudices that will form against them. The other is that they might get caught by the PRA itself and they scooped them up. No telling what they will do with outside Pokémon. Bring them into their ranks. That was one thing. Convincing them to join in their twisted cause is another."

"You're positive this was the PRA?" Rex asked.

The cop shrugged. "It's the PRA, no doubt about it. But the profile is different. They _love _to make a lot of noise. Not for intimidation, no, but rather for sport and fun. Last night, there was not a single peep. Complete silence. The PRA went in and cleaned out the stores, then left without waking the neighborhood. And what I don't understand is why they touched the bookstores. That never happens. No riot in history ever looted a bookstore. Period. It's even more baffling that they took a certain selection of books, not random genres."

"What did they take?"

"Some blank journals, manuals, plus some specific fiction books."

The cop turned back toward the police station, then said. "And just when things are mind-boggling enough, we discovered all the cash registers and ATMs were cleaned out. Thousands of Pokémon dollars gone. Makes no sense, the PRA never value money."

Bookstores, stealthy raids, empty cash registers, definitely not the PRA's M.O. It was as if they had a recent change of leadership.

Rex's eyes bulged open.

"Well," the cop said. "I better get back to work, just keep your distance and stay out of the way. And keep an eye on your Pokémon. I'm no doctor, but it looks like it's about to have a nervous breakdown."

"She's been to Soho, the police there would shoot any Pokémon they see out in public. She worried for her life here."

The cop shook his head. "URP don't get along with the Soho PD quite well, that's one of the biggest reasons. Yet we don't blame them, they had failed their people once."

The regional police officer walked off, leaving Rex to think about what he said. He lend Sara his hand, she lifted up her tiny arm and took it. The two walked some distance away from the police station and found a bench. They sat down. Rex held up Sara's head and said, "Sara, I know you're scared. I know what could happen to you and the consequence of what the PRA would do with you."

Sara said nothing, she just stared at him with blush marble eyes.

"Sweetie," said Rex. "Please, I need you to not be afraid. I need you to be strong in this. Mark and his Pokémon is missing and Tesla . . . f*ck, Tesla might have cause this. I don't wanna speculate, it may be a sign of Tesla making progress. I just don't know what is happening, but I need you have some hope that we will go home after this is over."

Sara said nothing.

"We're going to go home after this. I'm sorry I brought you along. Yes, I know I told you and Volts not to come but you wanted to. I swear I didn't know things would turn out like this."

The Mouse Pokémon looked away.

"Sara," said Rex."

"Rai?" she asked.

"I love you and Volts. If the PRA were come to us and attack, don't hesitate to fight them. Don't even _hesitate _to kill them either. I will not penalize you for it, I promise."

Sara stretched out her tiny arms and hugged Rex and he hugged her back. The Raichu started licking his cheek, Rex pressed his nose against her cheek. She smelled like the hotel soap he washed her with earlier. "Be strong, Sara. You're not alone."

Volts popped out of the backpack and climbed up on Rex's shoulder. "Pichu Pi!" he chirped.

Sara smiled. "Rai Rai."

Rex said, "Sara, Volts, you guys need to eat. Let's go to the next town and settle into their Pokémon Center. We'll meet up with Ash and the others."

Sara nodded. "Raichu."

**. . .**

Tendon hadn't dealt with prisoners before. She had treated a few in the past, but never had she herself bagged one. It wasn't that hard knocking out the Springfield Audino. The jugular vein and the carotid artery sits over the muscle and underneath the skin on both sides of the neck. They provide the brain oxygen and carry used blood back to the heart. The major blood vessels were, biologically speaking, exposed. Cutting off the supply of one of these blood vessels would lead to unconsciousness in minutes, but sending severe trauma into the blood vessels would cause unconsciousness rather instantly.

That pretty much what went down last night. Tendon sneaked behind the Audino and delivered a karate chop to his neck, the Pokémon under her favor stuck the bag on him and tied his arms and legs. After cleaning out the Pokémon Center of food and medical supplies, they carried the captured Audino back to Fort Wernher where they locked him in his own cell.

Tendon was eager to take good care of him.

She put on non-latex gloves and carried a MRE and bottled water to the Pokémon jail. Tendon opened up the cell containing the Audino. The Hearing Pokémon itself was strapped in place. Sky-blue rope was tied around the Audino's hands, forcing it up, while more sky-blue rope was tied around his ankles, spreading his legs out. The rope had a tinsel strength of two hundred and seventy kilograms, slightly stronger than steel chains. The Audino was awake, but barely. He was a little irritated and confused. He licked his lips, indicating he was thirsty.

The Audino turned to Tendon, he squint his eyes and said, _"What's going on, where am I?"_

Tendon replied, _"You're in Fort Wernher."_

The Audino's eyes bulged open as all the puzzle pieces come into place. He had definitely heard the stories and the rumors. Tendon held her laughter, he was squirming around like a Magicarp out of water.

_"What is this?" _he asked in a panicked tone. _"Why am I here!?"_

_ "You were brought here by the Pokémon Resistance Army."_

_ "Who are you?"_

_ "I'm their medic," _then she said. _"Once upon a time, I used to work in a Pokémon Center. I never liked the institution and the system and the rules. In fact, I hated it. I hated it all. Fifteen years back, I was recruited into the PRA. I got my own infirmary, my bed, and all the food I could possibly want. I got a little too settled in, as you could see."_

The Audino blinked. _"I never seen a fellow Audino so . . . uh."_

_ "Obese?" _Tendon asked.

_"Yes, obese. Your belly is practically sagging. A Nurse Joy would have you go on a diet for months to bring your weight down."_

_ "True, except no Nurse Joy would take me in. I have a record, I'm practically barred from the institution."_

_ "What did you do?"_

Tendon approached the Springfield Audino, she sat the MRE and water bottle aside and looked into the Audino's eyes. Her belly was pressing against his. His eyes were filled with building horror. _"Do you really want to know?"_

The Audino blinked twice. _"Are you Tendon?"_

Tendon smiled. _"If you know who I am, then you know what I did."_

The Hearing Pokémon's face dropped. _"Oh crap, just how could you do such a thing?"_

_ "She was a thorn to my side, I had a lot of anger built up." _Tendon stepped back, then said, _"I had so much anger built up that I swear I wanted to reach my hands around her neck and strangle her. But that didn't happen, I didn't have the time. So I used a scalpel instead. You know what the medulla is, Auddie?"_

The Audino nodded. _"It's a bulb that sits between the brainstem and the brain. It controls all automatic functions in the body. Both voluntary and involuntary. It is the only reason why anyone moves and breathes and have a heartbeat."_

Tendon nodded. _"Very good. A scalpel to the medulla is like an off-switch. She dropped like a stone. No scream or resistance. She just dropped. If that hadn't killed her right away, I bet horror enveloped her brain from lack of control. Unable to move, unable to breathe. Of course, assuming she still had some kind of pulse still going. Maybe she had a few seconds before the void consumed her."_

_ "You're sick," _the Audino spat.

Tendon chuckled. _"Sick _and _tired of how my life was being run. I wanted to do something more with my life, and there are some things I wanted to try. And there is one thing I wanted to do for a long time."_

_ "Like what?"_

_ "I'll show you."_

Tendon blew him a kiss. Big pink hearts flied out and struck the Audino with the speed of a bullet train. Bright pulsing hearts bloomed over the Audino's eyes. His tongue hanged out, partially drooling. Tendon smiled. She had used that move a lot over the past fifteen years. But never had she used it on her own species of the opposite sex. This was a triumph, and she felt like celebrating.

So she clamped both hands on the male Audino's shoulders and got into position.

**. . .**

Smugleaf led her team to the edge of the forest, then backtracked a hundred meters. They found a suitable checkpoint. It was a long, oval shaped clearing. There was a small boulder, a smooth solid rock. And a blueberry bush. It was big enough to have a tight Pokémon battle, and it was small enough for a Pokémon takeover. Satisfied, the Grass Snake Pokémon turned to her small team. _"Okay, we're going to set up shop. All of you guys get into hiding. However, I need one of you to play the role as the victim," _Smugleaf turned to Emolga. _"Emolga, this is what you're going to tell their Pokémon. You are going to say someone is hurt and needs help."_

_ "Right," _said Emolga.

Woody raised his hand. _"Can I be the victim?"_

_ "Sure," _said Smugleaf. _"But you need to act the part first."_

Without warning, Smugleaf whipped out her vine and whipped Woody across his chest. The Muscular Pokémon slammed his back and head into the boulder, then slumped on his rear. Stars floated around his head as he slumped down. Smugleaf used her vine to lift him back up, then leaned him against the boulder. _"Perfect," _she said. _"How are you feeling?"_

_ "Oww," _he muttered. He rubbed his head and glared at Smugleaf. _"What was that for?"_

_ "You wanted to be the victim, you gotta act like it. We gotta keep this game convincing for a while, then we move in and act."_

_ "Why?"_

_ "Their Pokémon will get suspicious. Instinct, Woody, they can sniff out a lie if they smell one," _Smugleaf turned to Emolga. _"That is what you're going to tell them. You're going to run up to them, panicking, saying that a Pokémon had attacked your friend and needs help. If they asked what kind of Pokémon. Tell the truth, say it was a Snivy, but don't give any details. Once they get here, I will pop out and attack. You run off and join the others in hiding. I'm going to play with their Pokémon for a moment, then I'll change the rules of the game. Then we all move in and bag them."_

Smugleaf took off her backpack and pulled out a .22 revolver, then hand it to Woody. _"Keep this hidden, and don't pull it out until I got one of their Pokémon in a chokehold with my knife to their throat. Got it."_

Woody nodded. _"Got it."_

_ "Emolga?"_

_ "Yes, Smugleaf." _

_ "Run off now and find them. The Carbondale Pokémon Center would be their flocking ground," _she held up her hands and shooed him. _"Off with you now, daylight's burning!"_

Emolga nodded, then took off toward Carbondale. Smugleaf turned to the other Pokémon. _"Get into the bushes and wait, and don't fall asleep. Woody, stay there and lean against that boulder. Don't move, even if I'm fighting off Ash's Pokémon. When I pull the knife around their throats, you raise your gun."_

Woody nodded. _"Got it."_

The rest of the team approached the bushes and settled in. Woody stayed where he was, his revolver hidden against his leg. Smugleaf sat in the bushes and watched him. He was still disoriented, and moaning slightly. _All real, _she thought. _Those humans are going to get a sh*tload of a surprise._

**. . .**

Emolga ran as fast as his stubby legs could take him. He wasn't as fit as he once was when he was with Cabot, he was out of breath before he made it out of the forest. The Sky Squirrel got down on four limbs and tried running that way. He was faster, but his stamina sputtered and coughed like a rusty engine.

Life in the PRA had been a changing experience. When Smugleaf and Wotter first captured him in Vegas City, they kept a bag around his head for most of the journey to Fort Wernher. When he arrived, he was greeted by Nobark. Emolga was weary and scared out of his mind. Like Bubbles, he wanted to go home. The fort was dirty, smelly, and filled with all kinds of horrors. Smugleaf took him personally to the barracks and got him introduced. The conscripts seem to like him and properly introduced themselves. He befriended the Joltik almost immediately when they met, the two were pretty much the only electric-types in Fort Wernher at the time. Even though he got along with a lot of Pokémon, there were those who don't like him. Sometimes he would get a disgruntled insult from a ground and a water-type. Emolga wasn't sure why. It may had to do with the fact that ground-types dominate electric-types and electric-types dominate water-types. Wotter was the most vicious. A week after Emolga "joined" the PRA, Wotter grabbed him and took him to a secluded spot. He forced him down with his rear pointing up, and he was butt-raped at the spot.

Emolga shuttered at the thought. Feeling something where it doesn't belong scarred him badly. It made him bleed. After Wotter was through with him Emolga ran to the infirmary for Tendon to check on his rectum. She didn't say much but stuck gauze in his butt. The Audino didn't asked who done it. Maybe she knew, as she said he wasn't the only one. The Sky Squirrel didn't know about Tendon's "payment" at the time. So when she "charged" him for her services, it felt like a repeat of Wotter, except he was in control, and it was more proper.

It was half-pleasing and half-horrifying, Emolga didn't wanna go through that experience again.

He made it to Carbondale within minutes. Emolga took a moment to catch his breath, he sat down to rest. He wasn't sure if what he was doing was right. He somewhat knew about Ash from Cabot and Tesla back in Vegas City, but he never knew him or his Pokémon personally. It shouldn't be hard to find him, right? Ash was the one with the Pikachu, a perfectly normal Mouse Pokémon. How would they react when he make his approach? Just what would they say, and would they follow him? Do they even trust him?

_You're going to run up to them, panicking, saying that a Pokémon had attacked your friend and needs help, _Smugleaf had said. _If they asked what kind of Pokémon. Tell the truth, say it was a Snivy, but don't give any more details._

It shouldn't be that hard. Smugleaf did attacked a friend, that part was true. Woody was a good friend and had comforted him after his experience with Wotter and Tendon. A truth disguising a lie. It would defeat the internal polygraphs in any Pokémon's head, assuming they were being used at all.

_Better get a move on._

Emolga got up and ran into town. The Pokémon Center wasn't that hard to find. It sat in the main road, surrounded by concrete and asphalt. He looked around for nearby humans. There were a few, but they weren't paying attention. He ran inside the Pokémon Center and looked around. There they were, in the cafeteria. The boy who might be Ash Ketchum sat next to his Pikachu, who was chowing down on electric food. Sitting across from them was a tall green-haired teenager and a purple-haired girl. An Axew sat between them. They were all eating breakfast, as if it was a normal day.

Emolga checked to see if the Nurse Joy and an Audino was around. They weren't, they must be in the next room. He must do this fast.

He hobbled into the cafeteria and waved his hands in the air. _"Please, help! I need help!"_

All eyes turned to him. _"An Emolga!" _the purple-haired girl cried.

_Believe your lie, _Emolga thought. The Sky Squirrel ran up and got on his knees. _"Please help," _he said. _"My friend is hurt!"_

The Pikachu jumped up from the table and jumped down to the floor. _"What happened?" _he asked.

_"I was traveling with my friend through the forest and I was attacked," _said Emolga. _"My friend was hurt! I managed to get away but I'm scared of what might happened to him!"_

_ "Did you see who attacked him?" _Pikachu asked.

_"A Snivy, a pretty fast one. I think we've intruded on its territory or something because it was pretty vicious."_

_ "There was a Snivy living out there, I met her days ago."_

That statement caught Emolga by surprised, did Smugleaf actually met him? _"Could you please help me," _he cried. _"I don't know what she's doing, please talk some sense into her!"_

Emolga saw no doubt or suspicion in the Pikachu's eyes, only selflessness and determination. _"Okay," _he said. _"I'll see what I could do."_

He turned to the Axew and said, _"Axew, come on. We gotta help this guy!"_

_ "Right!" _the Axew chirped.

Emolga hugged the Pikachu. _"Oh thank you! Thank you!"_

_ "Lead the way, Emolga."_

Their trainers, not sure what they had said, realized how serious it was. "What's going on?" Ash asked.

"Something not good," said the purple-haired girl. "We gotta see what's wrong!"

Emolga ran toward the door and Pikachu and Axew followed behind. Their trainer got up from the table and followed them out the Pokémon Center.

**. . .**

Nobark called up all the Swoobats. Instead of four, three showed up. Normally when he call for them, all four Swoobats would drop whatever they were doing and show up. He asked who was here. Swoo I, III, and IV said their names. It was Swoo II who was missing.

_"You know where Swoo II is?" _Nobark asked.

_"I remember seeing him flying over to Springfield last night," _said Swoo I. _"But I hadn't seen him come back."_

_ "Had he drank any beer?" _Swoo IV asked.

Nobark thought for a moment. _"I don't recall him drinking any beer, have any of you tried alcohol before?"_

All three Swoobats shook their heads.

_"We'll worry about him later." _Then he said, _"Now, I need two of you to head out with some reinforcements. Smugleaf and Wotter will need some backup and I need two Swoobats to provide air support. You're going to circle them like vulture Pokémon, make it sinister for them below. We're going to have some new guests here and you're going to be part of the welcoming committee."_

_ "Sounds fun," _said Swoo III. _"I'm in."_

_ "I'll fly along," _said Swoo IV.

Nobark turned to Swoo I. _"Scout out the rest of Fort Wernher and see if anybody else is coming our way, I'm not taking any chances if someone tries to sneak up on us."_

Swoo I nodded. _"I'm on it."_

All three Swoobats took the skies. Two headed toward Carbondale. The other circled Fort Wernher, blasting its sonar into the tree canopy for potential intruders. Nobark then went off to put together more infantry support.

**. . .**

Emolga kept a steady pace. Pikachu and Axew were right behind him while their trainers were further back. He led them through the forest, navigating around twists and turns and obstacles. So far they weren't suspicious, but they were a little unease. The Sky Squirrel forced himself to think of Woody being attacked by Smugleaf, he couldn't afford to trip their lie detectors.

**. . .**

Smugleaf sensed their approach. They were coming in fast. Woody readjusted himself and started playing the part. The Grass Snake Pokémon crouched. It had been a long time since she had done a proper Pokémon battle. She never forgotten the moves Alice had taught her. No Pokémon ever forgets their training. It stays with them, becomes a part of them. Smugleaf had the advantage in numbers. The Pokémon Resistance Army had surrounded the clearing, with reinforcements on the way. The trap was set. It was all up to Emolga to make it happen.

Emolga appeared first, then Ash's Pikachu and an Axew. The Sky Squirrel played his role quite well. He wasn't nervous or stuttering. He was scared of a number of things and he was literally spilling it in a flood. _"Here he is," _said Emolga.

The trainers stepped into the clearing. Far in the back, Smugleaf could see the conscripts had blocked the path. The trap had sprung.

And now it was all up to her.

Smugleaf had no gun and her knife was in its holster. Ash would probably think she would be PRA. It doesn't matter, it might help to her advantage.

Ash saw the "wounded" Timburr. He glanced at his friends, then back at the Pokémon. "What happened?"

Smugleaf kicked up some leaves, they swirled around her and engulfed the clearing. Ash and the trainers stepped back and covered their faces. Pikachu and Axew braced themselves.

The Leaf Storm struck them both, knocking them onto their backs, their feet pointing toward the sky. Smugleaf leaped out of the bushes and hissed. _"My prey!"_

Pikachu and Axew scrambled to their feet. The Tusks Pokémon was terrified, but the Mouse Pokémon's face was priceless. It read recognition. "It's a Snivy!" cried Ash.

Smugleaf moved first, she whipped out her vine and slashed it across Pikachu and Axew. They leaped back, the tip of the vine just a centimeter from their noses.

"Pikachu," cried Ash. "Use Thunderbolt!"

The big-haired girl cried, "Axew, Dragon Rage!"

Pikachu charged up, his body flashed with yellow electricity. The Axew held up its hands, readying up a plasma cannon.

Smugleaf wrapped her vine around an overhead branch and pulled herself up, charged lightning and a column of purple-neon plasma blast under her. The Grass Snake Pokémon swung herself around, she held up her feet and aimed for the Axew. He ducked, but Pikachu couldn't see her in time. He took the force hard in the face. His head whipped back and was thrown into a tree. Smugleaf then puckered up her lips and blew out Attract. Pink hearts flooded the clearing.

"Dodge it," cried Ash.

Pikachu and Axew scrambled for cover. Hearts slammed into the ground, kicking up dust, none hit their desired targets.

Smugleaf planted her feet on the clearing.

"Use Tackle, Pikachu!" cried Ash.

Pikachu leaped up on all fours and charged at Smugleaf. She held her ground, waited for him to get in close.

She jumped at the last second and threw a hard punch into his kidney. Pikachu stumbled and tripped, rolling twice before grinding to a stop.

Not quite appropriate for a Snivy, but it worked.

Wotter looked up, chuckled, then held his head down.

The green-haired guy pulled out a Poké ball, "Pansage, use Bullet Seed!"

The Grass Monkey Pokémon spawned before him. He grinned, his fists were balled and his muscles flexed.

Three against one, not fair.

The Pansage spat out a barrage of seeds. Smugleaf ducked. The seeds blast several trees and bushes behind her. Splintered wood and freshly cut leaves spayed above her, the air smelled fresh with grass.

Smugleaf kept her vines extended, she swing one around and lashed out at the Pansage. The Pansage dodged, Smugleaf's vine snapped nothing but air.

Pikachu stirred and charged at her again. Smugleaf jumped, the Mouse Pokémon missed her by centimeters.

"The Snivy's too fast!" cried the purple-haired girl.

"Use Dig!" the green-haired guy ordered his Pansage.

The Grass Monkey bore a hole and disappeared into the ground. Smugleaf's heart pounded against her chest, she hadn't expected that.

Before she could react, the ground turned to mush and Pansage erupted through. He striked her hard, right between her legs.

She couldn't believe how bad that hurt. Smugleaf yelped as she was flung into the air.

Ash punched a fist into the air, "Alright, now Thunderbolt again, Pikachu!"

Pikachu charged up and blasted Smugleaf with electricity.

It didn't burn like electricity, it didn't even feel warm. Smugleaf couldn't move. The world flashed yellow as she crashed to the ground.

_Ow._

Then the Axew charged with bright glowing claws. He striked her across her side, flinging her up again. Smugleaf yelped and screamed as she somersaulted in the air. She hit the ground face first, then rolled onto her back. Her vines scattered around her, like limp rope.

Every muscle hurt, she had forgotten what a Pokémon battle was like, and how much she sucked. She needed energy for the takeover. So she held still, acting as if she was defeated. After a brief pause, the trainers were convinced she was unable to battle.

"Way to go, guys!" cried Ash.

"You did good, Axew," chirped the purple-haired girl.

"_Thank you!" _All three Pokémon chirped.

The purple-haired girl then rushed up to Woody, he continued to moan. Smugleaf peaked around for Emolga, he was nowhere in sight.

"How is he, Iris?" the green-haired guy asked.

Iris got down to her knees and took off her backpack, "I don't know, give me a moment."

Smugleaf looked up at Pikachu, his back was turned. Nobody was watching, not paying any attention of her. He wasn't that far from her, just within her reach. Smugleaf slithered a vine behind the Mouse Pokémon, getting within reach of his lightning-bolt tail.

Iris reached up and checked Woody's eyes. "Are you okay, Timburr?"

"_Yeah," _said Woody. _"I'm fine."_

Then he pulled out the revolver and held it up to Iris's face.

Everyone froze

The Smugleaf coiled her vine around Pikachu. He screamed. His trainer turned around in time to see Smugleaf pull her to her chest. She whipped out her knife and held it to its throat.

"On the ground," she barked in human speech. "PRA!"

Then the troops emerged.

Their submachine guns and rifles and crossbows were cocked, all aimed straight for the center mass. The trainer's held up their hands, even Pansage and Axew had their hands up.

The game had changed.

Smugleaf turned to Ash directly. "On the ground, Ash!"

Ash's eyes bulged upon hearing his own name, but he didn't move. So Smugleaf slashed her other vine across his shins. The kid's small frame went down and Scout was on top of him, strapping flexicuffs to his wrists.

Smugleaf then spoke to Pikachu. _"You either make a single spark of electricity or try to bite, I will squeeze your organs out of your body while sinking my knife into your throat. Do I make myself clear?"_

Pikachu hesitated and whimpered under his breath. _"Yes."_

The green-haired guy drop to the ground, then Scout put the flexicuffs on him. He buried his face into the grass, whimpering in fear.

"Y'all make a sudden move or try to run, we'll shoot you dead," said Smugleaf. "Special moves from Pokémon is one thing, but bullet wounds are worse. They never heal completely, you'll be hurting for the rest of your lives."

Ash glanced around, panting hard. He turned to Smugleaf. "Don't hurt my Pikachu."

Smugleaf smirked. There was a bond between them alright, a strong one. Might as well start plucking it like a guitar string. "I'm not the one you should be pleading to." Then she asked, "Are you Ash Ketchum? Age 10? From Pallet Town in the Kanto Region?"

Ash nodded. "How did you know my name?"

Smugleaf chuckled. "A little old mouse told me."

A shadow swept across the clearing. Smugleaf looked up. Two Swoobats circled around, like vulture Pokémon ready to pick at dead prey. Not a perfect glide, they were flapping hard to stay up. But it was intimidating enough. The trainers looked up, they got the message loud and clear.

Bags were pulled over their heads and they were force up on their feet. Emolga came out of the bushes with a black bag in his hand. He pulled it over Pikachu and tied it. The Sky Squirrel didn't say a word, he just stepped away and head back to base.

Wotter then came out of the bushes, then Tendon. Both had shotguns in their hands. They barked orders at the Axew and the Pansage. Smugleaf translated for them. "Stay crouched, and don't stand! Move, all of you! Now!"

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	25. Chapter 25

_Chapter 25_

The unloading of the moving van was completed before noon. The conscripts took a moment to marvel at their achievement. They were filled with pride, more pride than what they felt from their first raid of Soho. They went over the loot they had snatched. Many long-time PRA members were surprised how technology advanced over the past fifteen years. Thinner laptops with more processing power, smaller camcorders with larger digital storage. A few savvy conscripts bust open the packaging and played around with the cameras and camcorders. They started taking pictures. First of themselves, then their friends. They laughed and giggled, having a blast.

The mood quickly changed when the prisoners arrived.

Three trainers, with black bags over their heads, were brought in, along with two other Pokémon. All activities ceased. Attention was diverted to the prisoners. There was a short one who looked no more than a kid, a tall one who looked like he was a gym leader, and a girl with big purple hair who sounded country. All three trainers were scared, whimpering to themselves. Smugleaf had a death grip on yet another Pikachu, while Woody kept his gun trained against the back of the Axew's head. Nobark casually approached. He wasn't smiling, nor was he talkative. An AK-47 was clamped to his hands, loaded, with the safety turned off. Several PRA fetched some guns as they cluster around the prisoners. They kept a far enough difference. They want to give Nobark space, no one want to get into the crossfire of his wrath.

"On your knees," he barked in human speech.

All three trainers got on the ground as they were commanded. Woody slammed the butt of his gun on the Axew's shoulder to force him down. Smugleaf simply pancaked the Pikachu, pressing his face into the grass.

Nobark said in Pokémon speech, _"Empty their pockets!"_

Two conscripts with nimble hands rushed up and started fishing into the prisoners' pants pockets. Poké balls were pulled out, along with a Unova Pokédex and medicinal ointments.

Without warning a Poké ball exploded in a flash of light, spawning an Oshawott. At first the Oshawott was angry, ready to fight a battle. Wotter growled, he pumped his shotgun and trained it on the Oshawott. The Sea Otter froze. His initial overconfidence deluded to terror.

_"Get on the ground," _Wotter barked.

No response, the Oshawott just stood there. His legs buckling under his weight.

"Oshawott," the shortest of the trainer cried.

Tendon jammed the butt her riot gun into the trainer's shoulder blade, the short trainer hunched over and yelped.

Wotter grew impatient. _"I said on the ground!"_

The Discipline Pokémon raised his gun to the air and fired. Birdshot boomed into the sky. All three trainers flinched. Axew and Pikachu jumped and shut their eyes. The Oshawott tumbled onto his rear and covered his face. Wotter stormed up to him and jammed the shotgun barrel into the meat of his thigh. Oshawott peaked through his fingers. _"You don't get down when I tell you," _Wotter warned. _"I blow your kneecaps off! You hear me you f*cking runt!"_

The Oshawott had never heard another Pokémon swore before, nor had he had his life threatened like this before. The shock was just too much. The Sea Otter simply nodded, then collapsed.

He had passed out.

Nobark waved at the capture party. _"Take the tall guy and the girl to the human jail, but hang on with Ash for a moment. I wanna see what he looks like."_

The tall guy and the girl was ushered to their feet and were taken away. The Pansage and the Axew's jaw dropped. They lurched forward toward their trainers but were held back. They squeezed their eyes shut and whimpered, mumbling about better times.

Nobark walked up to the short trainer and pulled his hood off. Black raven hair erupted from the bag. The trainer's eyes were big. Nobark leered at him for a moment, then asked. "You're Ash Ketchum?"

The short kid nodded. "Yes."

The PRA was silent. They tightened their grip on their guns, paranoid at whatever potential escape plan he might had in store. But there was no escape plan. Nobark could tell. Nobark always knows.

"My name's Nobark Westinghouse. The Snivy that just pulled you guys in here is Smugleaf Stucky, the Dewott is Wotter, that Patrat is Scout, and the Audino is Tendon. This is Fort Wernher, the headquarters of the Pokémon Resistance Army."

Ash looked around. The conscripts held up their guns, but didn't aim them. They don't need to. They were in control, not him. He turned back to Nobark and asked, "How can you guys talk?"

"My trainer taught me," said Nobark. "He wanted his Pokémon to be educated, that way they won't be taken advantage of."

"By who?"

"Bad folks. People like Team Rocket, Team Plasma, poachers, and corrupted trainers. I am in my sixties, I had seen what they did and what had happened to their victims," he held out his hand to the PRA. "These Pokémon here were their victims. Captured from the wild or born in captivity. They were abused, violated. These Pokémon made it out, but a lot more never saw the light of day."

He turned back to Ash. "I don't know what you went through, boy. But don't expect a happy ending coming out of this. This is a new game with a new set of rules. There's not going to be any Pokémon battles. If you managed to break out of here and use your Pokémon against us. We'll attack you head on. Are your Pokémon loyal to you?"

Ash nodded. "Yes, I cared for them and loved them dearly."

Nobark smiled. "So did my trainer, a lot more than you could possibly imagine. Unfortunately he didn't secure our future in his will after he passed away. He was a Pokémon Master, you know, a very popular person. Do you know how many people wanted to get a hold of his Pokémon? Get a hold of me? Get a hold of Tesla?"

Ash said nothing.

"A lot. I've seen my friends self-destruct. Some friends such as Tesla defected. I defected. We all scattered across our island. I made my way over here, but Tesla stayed, where you later pulled his head out of his ass."

Ash said, "Where's Tesla?"

"He's in the command bunker right there, but don't expect him to save you. That Pikachu had been my mentor for a long time, but he was more of a friend than a teacher. Tesla's a prefect. He has power, influence. I don't know about you, but everything you had heard of the PRA so far pales in comparison with what Tesla can do. We worship him, and we fear him. And that's why you're here. You're going to make sure he won't take over. I know what is his true intentions are and I know I'm going to be a goner no matter what happens, but I'm not going to let the PRA die with me."

Ash blinked, then said, "He talks about you a lot. Every time I see him, he tells stories about his experience with you."

"The stories are true," said Nobark. "He never lies about past events. Never had and never will. Had he filled you in on what happened when you first went into Soho?"

"I got the brief history of what you did. It was wrong, you shouldn't have all that to those people and their Pokémon."

Nobark shrugged. "He told you about my, uh," he pointed to his head. "Condition?"

"Yes."

"Then you know what I have to deal with. I'm not in control with myself, never really had since I was born. All those personalities in my head have their own secret agenda, what happened so far is just the tip of the iceberg. I bet Tesla told you that I might blow up and go on a mad killing spree."

Ash said nothing.

Nobark leaned forward. "You better pray to Arceus that would never happen."

Suddenly Pikachu burst into fanatic screaming. He squirmed and kicked, fighting to break through Smugleaf's vines. _"Ash," _he screamed. _"Ash, help!"_

Ash gasped. "Pikachu!"

Nobark walked up to Pikachu and grabbed one of his ears, then thrust his head up. "Another Pikachu," he said. "Great, more Pikachus. No wonder Tesla liked you."

"Don't hurt him," Ash cried, "Leave my Pikachu alone!"

Nobark ignored him, he simply turned to the crowd and called out. _"Joltik, get over here!"_

The Joltik emerged from the crowd, its legs skittered across the ground toward Nobark. He held out his good hand. The Joltik leaped up and landed it on it. _"I'm here!" _

_ "Got a present for you."_

Nobark turned to Pikachu. The Mouse Pokémon was angry. He growled, his cheeks sparkling. _"You are angry, I see."_

Pikachu just growled.

_"Do you have the heart to take the life of someone you love?"_

Pikachu's cheeks stopped sparkling. He blinked with confusion.

_"Tesla has such a heart. He lost a lot of people and Pokémon he loved. Have you seen what he had become?"_

Pikachu said nothing.

Nobark tossed the Joltik onto Pikachu.

It latched onto the back of his head and shocked him. Pikachu squealed and squirmed, then went limp. He panted hard. Slowly by surely, he became more exhausted with each passing second.

"No!" cried Ash.

Tendon slammed the butt of her riot gun into his back again. Ash yelped dropped. Nobark walked up to him and kicked him with his foot, turning Ash over onto his back and yelped. "You figure it all out now, genius?" Nobark asked. "If you thought you had been in deep sh*t before, well this here is absolute deep sh*t! If it comes to it, I will kill you, then break down your Pokémon piece by piece. You won't recognize them by the end of the week!"

He turned to the PRA and ordered in Pokémon speech. _"Wotter, take Ash to the human jail. Tendon, Smugleaf, haul his Pokémon to the Pokémon jail. But don't toy with them, not just yet. I need you back at the command center for one more thing."_

Wotter kicked Ash in his rear and forced him back up. As he was hauled to the human jail, the rest of the capture party gathered up the Poké balls. Scout and Woody moved the Pansage and Axew along, while Smugleaf personally carried the weakening Pikachu in her vines to the Pokémon jail. The PRA bystanders simply watched as Nobark marched back to the command center. His good hand clamped on his AK-47, his bad hand shaking like an earthquake. He argued with himself. This time he didn't whisper. Everyone heard different voices coming out of Nobark's mouth. They were becoming less rational, more insane.

The PRA departed back to their activities, like nothing even happened.

**. . .**

It was a dreamless sleep. Sometimes he woke up with aches and pains. Sometimes he woke up feeling grumpy. On occasion he would wake up feeling somewhat okay, relaxed, with no concern gripping his mind. There were times where he was rudely awaken, roughly around once a month. And each time he threw a temper. A bad one. Among the top ten things he hated folks doing was rudely waking him, regardless of the reason.

Once again he was rudely waken by the door kicking open, but this time it was different. When Tesla opened his eyes he saw Smugleaf holding her machete to his throat.

She had a smug of her face, pure confidence, as if she was saying, _I can do whatever I want and you have to do whatever I say. _Tesla said nothing. His temper didn't flare, his emotions stayed quiet. He just sat there. Nobark was behind Smugleaf, and Wotter. Both were holding guns, pointed at him. Tendon and Woody stood by the door. Both were also armed, but their guns were lowered. Safeties on, fingers off the trigger. Technically speaking it was foolish to hold a gun at Tesla in the first place. He can electrocute anyone before they could pull the trigger, regardless on distance. Nobark knew this well, but he had his AK-47 aimed at him. Never before had another Westinghouse Pokémon threatened a gun at him. Never before his subordinates ever ganged up on him. Nobark knew this as well, he also knew no Westinghouse Pokémon would ever be willing to do so.

Which means he had a card up his sleeve, something to influence Tesla. But what was it? Couldn't be Mark, he himself had him thrown in jail. Sleep still flooded Tesla's mind, he wasn't ready to think just yet.

He held up his hands.

There was a flash, spots flooded his vision. Cabot's Emolga checked the camera, liked what he saw, and walked passed Tendon and Woody out of the room.

Emolga, the Cheering Pokémon duo, and his great-granddaughter stirred. Their eyes popped open. Emolga cradled Plusle and Minun while Mark's Pikachu hugged Tesla for comfort. He just sat there, unintimidated.

"Get up, Tes," Nobark ordered.

Tesla said nothing, nor nodded. He pushed Mark's Pikachu off of him and got down from the couch. Smugleaf kept her knife fixed over his throat, almost touching.

Nobark waved his gun toward the door. "Move."

Nobark marched Tesla outside. Laying on the grass before him were five Poké balls, all were enlarged and empty. Sitting in the middle was a Pikachu, a Joltik latched to its head. The Mouse Pokémon looked sick, weak. Its eyes were gray and puffy with fatigue. It laid on its belly in the casualty position. Its soft eyes looked up at Tesla, begging for mercy.

Tesla showed no response.

"I have Ash and his friends in the pen," said Nobark. "It was easy bringing them in. They're so goody two-shoes. All I had to do was fake a Pokémon to be injured. They took the bait without feeling doubt. Stupid people they are, they were told we roam this forest."

Tesla said nothing.

"This is my PRA, Tesla. _Mine. _I know you're here to put me down. So far you haven't lied to me, but you are good at holding back some information. You lie by telling the truth, I praise you for that."

Tesla said nothing.

"I know I might be a dead Pokémon after this, but my cause will not die with me. You are going to make sure of that, Tesla. I believe in you, and still do. I need you to get your hands dirty for once, _really _dirty."

Tesla said nothing.

"What, you've gone soft?"

No response.

"Tes?"

Nothing.

Nobark scoffed. He walked up to Ash's Pikachu and grabbed him by the tail. The Mouse Pokémon yelped, it thrashed its arms and legs but had no energy for much resistance. _"Please, Tesla," _Pikachu pleaded. _"Help me."_

Still no response.

Nobark held Pikachu up and asked, "Is this the Pikachu you nearly killed, Tesla? With your electric fence? What did he ever do to you to feel your wrath?"

Still nothing.

The Hoodlum Pokémon dropped Pikachu on the ground, then storm right up to Tesla. Their noses nearly touching. "Irvin trained you to do horrible things, things you don't want to do. But a part of you do, because of what happened a long time ago in Pallet Town."

Tesla said nothing.

"I have some things I need you to do, and I expect you to do it. You fail one, I'll be sure it would be the end of one of Ash's Pokémon. You fail another, same thing. I got a big list, you better not disappoint me."

Silence.

Nobark looked up. _"Take Pikachu back to the cell. Joltik, you stay on him. Make sure he doesn't get up when you take breaks."_

_ "Yes, sir!" _said the Attaching Pokémon.

Nobark turned back to Tesla. "Come see me when you're ready."

The Hoodlum Pokémon turned back to the command bunker and disappeared through the door. Smugleaf withdrew her knife and stepped away. She turned to Pikachu and scooped him up with her Vine Whip. Wotter picked up the Poké balls and head inside the command bunker. Tendon simply walked away without interest. Only Woody stayed behind. He blinked, he walked up to Tesla and said, _"I'm sorry, Tesla."_

Tesla said nothing.

_"It was Nobark's idea the whole way, Smugleaf executed it."_

_ "And you played along?" _Tesla asked.

_"I don't know what is on until Nobark talked about his fate. I didn't know, Tesla. I swear, I didn't know. I held up a gun at them for crying out loud," _he sighed. _"I saw how bad it really is way too late."_

Then he asked, _"Is Nobark really going to die, Tesla?"_

_ "We're all going to die eventually," _said Tesla. _"But for Nobark, it's soon. Not today, not tomorrow. But I can bet it would happen next week."_

_ "Saturday's tomorrow," _said Woody.

_"So it is," _said Tesla. _"Which means things are about to get a little crazy from here on out."_

Woody sighed and nodded. _"Here, I'll take you to Ash. The kid's getting ready to breakdown. He's been asking for you."_

Tesla turned to the command bunker. Mark's Pokémon stood at the door. Their marble eyes glazed with tears. The old Pikachu turned back to Tesla and nodded. _"Okay, let's go see how he's holding up."_

**. . .**

Tesla followed Woody into the human jail. He could smell Ash's scent, and Iris's, and Cilan's. It was strong, thick with fear. No doubt they were locked in this concrete prison. The Muscular Pokémon pointed out Ash's cell. It was next to Mark's. How convenient. Woody stood by as he watched Tesla opened the door to Ash's cell. It creaked open.

Sitting on the concrete bench was the trainer himself. He was stripped to his underwear, wearing nothing but a black t-shirt and navy blue boxers. His eyes were flooding with tears. Tesla turned to Woody and asked him to go get a box of tissues and a bottle of water. The Muscular Pokémon nodded and ran out of the human jail to fetch them.

Ash looked up, saw Tesla, his spirits lifting somewhat. "Tesla!"

Tesla didn't run up to him for a hug, he just stood by the door. He asked, "Did Nobark hurt you?"

"They beat me up a bit but didn't break anything, but they stuck a Joltik on Pikachu." Then he asked, "Did you see him, is my buddy okay?"

"Nobark held him up like a worm on a hook. The Joltik had drained most of his electricity."

Ash gripped his head and groaned. "I blew it Tesla. I fell right into their trap. I should have seen it coming."

"What did they lure you with?" Tesla asked.

"An Emolga."

"That was Cabot's Emolga, the PRA wind him up like a toy and set him loose."

Ash's face dropped. "Did you see Volta?"

"Volta's not here, she never was."

Ash got up and scooped Tesla in his arms. He hugged him tight. Tesla felt a little irritated, but he couldn't make himself angry. After all the grief that had happened in the past ten minutes, he needed affection. So Tesla took it with ease.

"What about Mark and his Pokémon?" Ash asked.

"Mark's in the cell next to yours, he has no idea what happened yet. His Pokémon are free to wander the base, but they stay inside the command bunker. They're too scared to mingle with the other Pokémon here."

Ash sat Tesla next to him on the concrete bed, he sighed. "I was worried. We haven't heard from you in days. Rex is asking around trying to figure out what happened to you."

"What happened back at Soho?" Tesla asked.

"Hattricks kicked us out, worried about a potential bombing from the PRA."

"I looked around and found no bombs or grenades or anything, but they now have more weapons and ammunition than before."

Ash asked, "What were you doing all this time?"

Tesla shrugged. "I had the PRA clean up the entire base. Their living conditions are poor Ash. No running water, no heat, and barely enough food to eat. Nobark isn't taking good care of them, he took whatever resources that he had and concentrated it to his elite. The Pokémon with names. They're his inner circle. " He added, "Last night I had the PRA raided the nearby town of Springfield. They stripped it with whatever goods they needed and brought it back here. They just had a party last night."

Ash blinked. "Why did you have them do that?"

"Cause they needed supplies, that's why. They needed food, water, medicine. No town would spare any generosity to lend out supplies, not with their track record. I did what I have to do, and it was successful."

Ash shook his head, trying to process what he had just heard. He looked like he was ready to berate Tesla for his actions. Instead, he simply turned to him and asked, "So what is happening now?"

"Nobark no longer has to worry about feeding the PRA, they have enough food to last for months. That's why he sent a team to capture you and your friends, he was ready to put his own plan to action."

"What is he planning, Tesla?"

"He wants to be sure his PRA won't die with him. He's on his last legs, old age and stress had broken him. He's holding you and your friend's hostage to make sure I do his tasks and don't take him down outright."

Woody came back with a box of tissues and a bottle of water. Tesla took it and dismissed him, then handed it to Ash. He took a tissue and blew his nose, wadded it up, and tossed it into the concrete toilet. "I'm scared, Tesla. I had been in tight cells before, but this is different. Nobark beat me in front of the PRA and they just watched, like it was for sport."

"That's the whole point, Ash. For sport. These Pokémon were victims from Team Rocket affiliates and abusive trainers in the past. They don't wanna go back to their lives from before. No matter how they are treated, they'll still be at the bottom of the barrel. Humans built and run the world as we know it, and they see themselves more as tools than actual beings with rights. That is what's going on, Ash. These Pokémon don't want to go back into this system, being trained to do things that they had no choice in."

"But there's good people in the world," said Ash. "They take care of their Pokémon."

"Yes, they do. But that doesn't mean Pokémon get any more rights than those who have trainers who are abusive," Tesla took a deep breath. "Irvin created a sub-culture where we had rights, where we had a say in things. It was a democracy. Of course, Irvin was the boss and he has the final decision on things, but he treated his Pokémon like human beings, like kids. Nobark wanted to recreate the system, but he failed, he accomplished the opposite, and now he's stuck between a rock and a hard place. When I came along, he figures I could fix his problems before his health breaks down. So when I resupplied the PRA, I basically gave him the incentive to go bag you and your friends to further his agenda. But now everything's falling apart for all parties involved, cause Nobark's getting ready to blow up, and it's happening at the worst possible time."

The room went silent for a moment. Ash reached up and stroke Tesla's ears. "I was afraid, Ash. This is why I didn't wanna follow you around after you got me out of Faraday Island. I came from this harsh twisted world that society practically lives next to. I didn't want you to see it."

"You were trying to protect me."

"Yes, you and your Pikachu. It's bad, believe me, so bad that they censor it on the media. They might give a few details, sure, but everything else is censored. I'm amazed they even put what happened to Volta on the Vegas City newspaper. There's a hefty fine for publishing blackout stories," Tesla stared at the floor for a second. "I'm sorry, Ash. I'm so sorry. I didn't want you to see what Irvin left behind. He gave us so much hope, but nothing to back it up. His death was a surprise, it has been eating me ever since."

"What do you need to do?" Ash asked.

"I'm going to do whatever Nobark wants me to do and hope for the best."

Tesla didn't add that if he were to fail, one of Ash's Pokémon might be killed. He also didn't add that he might do assassination work. Ash didn't need to know all that. All he needed to know was there was still hope. "It's all on me now," said Tesla. "We're on a giant chessboard, Ash. Every move will be high risk and the slightest error might destabilize Nobark and nuke the playing field. We're getting close to the end."

"I hope so," said Ash."

Tesla got up from the concrete bed, then turned to Ash. "I owe you a big favor ever since you set my life back on tract at Faraday Island. I'm going to pay you back, I'll try my hardest to get you and your friends out of this forsaken place."

"Is there anything I need to know about Nobark and his inner circle?" Ash asked.

"Smugleaf is handling your Pokémon, while Wotter his handing you and your friends. If Nobark decides to have you or your Pokémon executed, it would be Smugleaf and Wotter respectively. If any Pokémon other than the Dewott comes to see you. Don't fear for your life. Woody, the Timburr, is feeling guilty about all this, so you'll find more than enough mercy from him. But be careful if Nobark comes in to talk to you. He is unpredictable. In his mind, the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. He might not remember putting you in here or what he had done to you himself. He might be grief-stricken one moment and in bitter rage the next."

"How do I know if he blows up?"

Tesla just stared at him. "Believe me, you'll know."

The old Pikachu handed Ash the bottle of water and he took it. "Stay safe, Ash. I'm doing what I can to help you."

Ash nodded. "I know you will, I can see it in your aura."

Tesla stepped out of the cell and locked the door behind him. He pressed his head against the door and pinched his nose. One part of him felt ashamed for what happened to Ash, another part of him felt distraught. His worse fears had come true. Ash got a window opportunity to see what his world was like, how he sees other Pokémon, and how he sees other people. The only hope now was to shut that window before Ash sees too much. What he'd just saw was just the tip of the iceberg, there was more yet to come. The old Pikachu lifted his head and took a deep breath. He pressed his hand against the iron door. Tesla always had tiny hands. All Pikachu had tiny hands. Despite their size, they helped him function in a human world. He had typed on keyboards and wrote with all kinds of writing utensils. He also brandished guns with them, most of whom were a size too big. Tesla had to use two fingers for a 9mm and had to use both hands.

And Nobark wanted him to get them dirty.

The old Pikachu walked up to Mark's cell and opened it. He was sitting on the toilet, leaning his head against the wall, sleeping away. Tesla whistled. Mark stirred, he blinked and sat up. "I heard a lot of noise and a gunshot," he said. "Is my Pokémon alright?"

"They're fine," said Tesla. "But the game has changed."

Whatever anger Mark had was gone. Almost a week of imprisonment had taken its toll. He had lost weight. His cheeks were hollow and his skin was ghastly pale. However his will hadn't broke, his eyes still hold strength. He stretched his arms and popped stiff joints. "What's going on?"

"Nobark captured Ash and his friends."

Mark's eyes bulged open. "F*ck. Where were you when it happened?"

"Sleeping, with your Pokémon. We were all busy last night."

Mark stared at him, suspecting funny business. Then he asked, "Where's Ash?"

"In the cell next to yours. I had just spoken with him. The only outside help we now have is Rex, who is shuffling back and forth between Carbondale and Springfield."

Mark shook his head. "Why did Ash leave Soho?"

"Chief Hattricks kicked him out. 'Security risk,' he says."

"Bastard," then Mark asked. "How did Nobark bagged Ash?"

"He played with his heart. They lure him into a clearing where they drew guns."

"And you'd just learned this?"

Tesla said, "Nobark held a gun to my head and told me all this."

Mark ran his hands through his buzz cut hair. "I see what is going on," he says. "Friends are turning against each other. He wants to divide us. F*ck, how come we hadn't seen this coming?"

"Cause Nobark is unpredictable. He himself is divided since the day he was born. I don't know if Nobark is even Nobark anymore. All I see is that the monster within him is taking over my longtime best-friend. I shouldn't have defended him when Irvin decided to put him down, I shouldn't have protected him."

"He wants _you_ to do it, Tesla," said Mark. "Does he still have faith in you?"

"Yes, he does, but it is in doubt."

"Then he wants you perform a mercy kill. I know this because I had been in military school. History classes I took said that soldiers would rather die in battle than anything else, mostly because of honor and duty. There was one case where a soldier was sentenced to be executed by a firing squad. He had a plea agreement where he would give the order to fire. He didn't even accept the blindfold, he just pressed his back against the wall, with his eyes open, and gave the order to fire."

_An interesting tale, _Tesla thought. "How are you holding up, Mark?"

"Still waiting, for you to get me out of here."

"It's going to be soon," said Tesla. "When the moment comes where I let you out, I need you to do one thing."

"Name it."

"Can you capture Nobark's inner circle?"

Mark thought for a moment. "Who makes up his inner circle?"

"Smugleaf, Wotter, Tendon, and Woody. They're a Snivy, Dewott, Audino, and Timburr in that order."

"You want to take prisoners? Why?"

"Same reason why Nobark captured Ash: Insurance. He is quite close to his inner circle. Wotter knew Nobark the longest, while Smugleaf has a closer bond with him. Can you do that, Mark?"

Mark nodded. "I was trained to take prisoners, I know what to do."

"Sit tight, I'll be back."

Tesla shuts and locks the door, then stepped out of the human jail. Woody was outside waiting for him, still clutching his riot gun. _"You're done?" _he asked.

_"Yup," _said Tesla.

_"Nobark needs to see you, pronto."_

**TO BE CONTINUED. . .**


	26. Chapter 26

_Chapter 26_

Tesla stepped into the command bunker and approached Nobark's room. Before he opened the door, he turned to Woody. The Muscular Pokémon was backing off, he didn't wanna be near Nobark as of this minute. Tesla understood why. Nobark had built up a level of fear. None of his insubordinates, even his inner circle, didn't wanna risk seeing him while he was around that level. Even his old friends back during Irvin's time wouldn't get near him. Nobark was unstable. Who knows? He might lose it the moment Tesla walk through his door.

But the old Pikachu was sure he wouldn't deteriorate. Not a powerful incentive by simply meeting with him. Something stronger was needed to _really _set him off.

Tesla opened the door and stepped into his bedroom.

With all the trash piles cleaned, the place was emptier. Nobark had few possessions lying around. His AK-47 sat on the folding table, unloaded with the bolt open. Nobark sat on his cot, staring off into space. Tesla scanned him for any signs of instability. Nothing apparent so far. The Hoodlum Pokémon turned, his eyes centering on Tesla's. Tesla held his ground, saying nothing.

"You still have the nerve, Tes?" he asked.

Nobark's judgment personality was responsible. Tesla could tell. His voice was rational and direct. No sign of the other personalities, no sign of the Nobark he knew.

"I do."

Nobark sat up and leaned forward. "Then I need you to do this thing for me. There are some Pokémon in Carbondale. The trainer is a full-time member of a criminal organization. Team Rocket, Team Plasma, I'm not sure which. He had been staying in Carbondale for quite some time. Over the past several weeks, he has been in and out of Soho for business meanings. I sent one of the Swoobats in to see what he was up to. Sure enough he was heading in and out of Soho's police station."

Tesla said nothing.

"What I'm interested in is his Pokémon. He has three. A Minchino, a Pansage, and a Patrat. All three are loyal to him, and all three know some things we wanna know. Even though they were in their Poké balls, they were semi-aware of what was going on when their trainer walked into that police station. This is your task, Tesla. You're going to go to Carbondale in the dead of night and take out their trainer, grab whatever intel he has along with his Pokémon and bring them here. You personally are going to interrogate them. We'll have a cell ready for you to store them."

There was a brief pause before Tesla asked, "What does this guy look like?"

"Tall, with red hair. He usually wears black clothes, you'll know when you see him. He's an insomniac."

Tesla nodded. "Okay, Nobark. I'll see to it."

"I know you will."

When Tesla left Nobark's bedroom, he let out a depressing sigh. He stood in the hall for a moment, recollecting his thoughts on the past five days. He first came to Soho and was turned away, then he sneaked in and was cornered by the disgruntled police department. He was later arrested and interrogated, striking some sort of agreement with Chief Hattricks. Next was Rex dropping Tesla off at Fort Wernher, where he reunited with Nobark. Meanwhile, Mark broke out of police custody and escaped Soho, then tried to sneak into Fort Wernher undetected, where he was captured by Nobark and his goons. With Mark bottled up, Tesla had the entire PRA take out and burn all of its trash, then staged a raid in Springfield. In the middle of the raid, Tesla killed Swoo II and hid his body in a dumpster, then went on like nothing even happened. After the PRA got resupplied, Nobark sent a squad of conscripts to capture Ash and his friends. Both the trainers and their Pokémon were placed in separate jails, where they were probably beaten up and molested by Smugleaf and Wotter. Finally, Nobark confronts Tesla with the news, and warned that he would execute them if he did not give in to his demands.

_All this sh*t in a single week._

Tesla rubbed his temples. The last of the alcohol was out of his system, but the headache was far from gone. The old Pikachu walked to his bedroom. Trash bags filled with cash littered the floor. Federal notes and coins of all values recently stolen from cash registers and ATMs around Springfield. So much money, yet useless if it isn't safely transported where it would be deposited into a numbered bank account. Faraday Island's banking policies have strict anonymously. Practically every Faradian had a numbered account, and all accounts are encrypted with the best high-tech security software the island has to offer. The local laws prevent local governments, including the provincial government, from getting access to the accounts with or without a court order. However, the banks had to comply with Interpol and the URP, but they would still need a court order for account access.

So as long as the world government or Unova didn't get a whiff of where the cash had gone, it should be safe.

But no amount of money would appease anyone if Ash, Mark, their friends and their Pokémon were executed by Nobark. Tesla would find himself in jail, life in prison if lucky. The death penalty the worst case scenario. There would be no support from Faraday Island, nor the Kissinger family, nor would any of Mark's remaining friends throughout the court hearing. Even if Tesla's longtime fans from the old days gave him their support, he was still f*cked. No, he would be fatally f*cked fifteen times over.

Tesla couldn't afford Nobark to bring him down with him.

The old Pikachu walked over to the den. Inside, Mark's Pokémon were huddled together in a tight ball, softly whimpering to themselves. If they hadn't been so distraught before, this was their most extreme yet. They looked like they were defeated, as if they had given up. Mark would be depressed if he saw his Pokémon like this, his worst fear had come true.

Tesla walked up to them and asked, _"Is there anything I can get you guys?"_

_ "No," _said Emolga. _"Other than Mark."_

_ "It won't be long now, guys."_

Mark's Pikachu sat up, she wiped away a tear and asked, _"What are we waiting for, Tesla? What are you planning?"_

_ "I can't tell you, Nobark has ears all over this place."_

She sniffled and said, _"I'm starting to wonder if you even have a clue on what you're doing."_

_ "It's complicated."_

_ "Why is it complicated?"_

Tesla groaned. _"Cause Nobark is unpredictable. It's not easy to get two steps ahead of him, you know. Remember that he is also fighting himself, trying to maintain his sanity. If he lose it now, all bets are off."_

Plusle and Minun said in unison, _"I wanna go home."_

Tesla stared at them for a moment, then turned to the door. _"At least you guys have a home to go back to, I don't have much of a home anymore."_

The Mouse Pokémon stepped out of the room and head back toward his bedroom. He needed to rest. His head hurt, his muscles ache, his stomach felt sick. The day was getting too much to handle.

Suddenly Emolga ran out of the den, scampering on all four paws to catch up with Tesla. _"Tesla, wait!"_

Tesla stopped and watched Emolga skidded to a stop. She then stood up, then said, _"I need to tell you something. It's important."_

_ "What is it?" _Tesla asked.

Emolga squeezed her eyes. _"I don't know how to say it. It's about Smugleaf."_

Tesla frowned, _"What did she do, did she touch you?"_

Emolga didn't answer.

_"Emolga, did she touch you?"_

The Sky Squirrel Pokémon looked up, her black pearl eyes meeting his. _"Smugleaf is an old friend of mine. I met her when we were just days old at the Pokémon breeder I was born in."_

Tesla said nothing.

_"At first I thought it might not me the same Snivy. But she had that look, Tesla. Her eyes, Tes, no two Snivies have the same eyes. It was her, Tes, I know it was her."_

Tesla grabbed his ears and groaned. _"Well sh*t, Emolga. How come you haven't told me this sooner?"_

_ "I was scared you might hurt her."_

Tesla frowned. _"I might as well skin her alive if I caught her with you!"_

Emolga adverted her eyes. _"Mark knows this, she told him everything! Confessed to her deeds and her sexual orientation! I know because I was there, she took me and the girls to the jail a few nights ago just to see Mark."_

Tesla asked, _"How did Mark reacted?"_

_ "Just like you right now, total disbelief."_

_ "Damn."_

Then Emolga added, _"And Nobark knows as well."_

_ Sh*t, _Tesla thought. Having Emolga being close friends with Smugleaf was bad enough, having Nobark know was worse. More connections, more vulnerabilities. Nobark would sprain his mind trying to figure out what to do with Smugleaf if things started falling apart. If it hadn't cause him to lose his mind, then it would help further deteriorate it when he does. All this time, Tesla was trying to protect Mark's Pokémon, but there was already association beforehand. Smugleaf was close friends with Emolga. Maybe best-friends, maybe BFF's. Who knows, maybe they have a romantic relationship going on.

That last thought raised an even bigger question, Tesla turned to Emolga and asked, _"Be honest, Emolga. Are you gay?"_

No response.

_"Did Smugleaf touched you days after you two meet?"_

Emolga looked up. _"We both touched each other."_

Tesla squeezed his eyes. _"So you are a lesbian."_

Emolga said nothing.

_"I thought that was Mark's fault, back when he discovered you were a female from that DNA test."_

Silence.

_"And now a lot of things make sense, in a weird way."_

More silence.

Tesla sighed, _"I'm sorry I hurt your feelings, Emolga. I was being overprotective of you and the girls. I wasn't born with that instinct, Emolga. I learned it. I learned it because I lost those who I've loved."_

Mark's Emolga reached up and hugged him tight, Tesla patted her on the back. She sniffled and kissed him on the cheek, then let go. _"I see why you're trying to protect me from Smugleaf," _she said. _"She's different, changed. Distraught, yes. Confused, definitely. I was horrified that she held that knife to your throat, I would get down on my knees and beg for mercy if Nobark hadn't trained his gun on you."_

_ "It wouldn't do you any good anyway," _said Tesla. _"But I appreciate the bravery."_

Tesla felt his energy coming back. He was mostly awake now. The headache was gone and his belly felt okay. Emolga smiled her familiar cute smile, the same as it was before the Soho mess. Tesla reached up and touched her nose. Emolga giggled and swatted his hand away. _"This may be a good thing," _said Tesla. _"Your close relationship with Smugleaf may be a leverage on Nobark, as the two have a father-daughter relationship. I'm going to go see Smugleaf and see what she has to say. You take care, Emolga."_

_ "You're not going to hurt, Smugleaf, are you?"_

Tesla didn't answer, he just walked away and left the command bunker.

**. . .**

If Smugleaf hadn't considered anything a good time before, then she would call this her first good time. The Grass Snake Pokémon sat in the Pokémon jail cuddling with Ash's Pikachu. The Mouse Pokémon was weak, barely conscious, the Joltik that sat on his head continue to suck up whatever electricity he managed to generate, keep him below that active level. Smugleaf pressed her nose against Pikachu's side and smelled him. She liked his scent. Domesticated Pokémon tend to naturally smell better than their wild counterparts, assuming they weren't the kind of Pokémon who naturally stink. Smugleaf pressed her nose against his chest and armpits, taking in deep whiffs. Her arms remained tight around his back, her vines curled gently around his waist. She looked up at his eyes. They were soft, drooping, as if he had been on the road for three days straight without breaks and was in need of a good long rest. It made him looked cuter in a way. Smugleaf wasn't sure why, but Ash's Pikachu was one of the best Pokémon she had ever met.

_"You're so cute," _she softly said into his ear.

Pikachu said nothing, he was too weak to speak. Smugleaf opened his mouth and gently bit him on the cheek. His face was smooth and soft like a baby. Smugleaf hugged his head and licked him. His eyes flickered, they were getting to heavy for him to keep open.

_"Give him back a little more electricity, Joltik," _said Smugleaf.

_"Roger."_

The Attaching Pokémon gave him a big jolt. Pikachu's eyes flashed open. He sucked in a gulp of air. Smugleaf felt his chest rise. Before Pikachu could breathe out, Smugleaf placed his lips over his and gave him a heavy kiss. She rubbed her tongue against the roof of his mouth for a full minute. Pikachu twisted and jumped. Smugleaf relaxed her grip and cradled his head. He stopped fighting her and went still. The Grass Snake Pokémon released her kiss and Pikachu panted. His breath brushed against her face. It smelled minty, maybe he too brushes his teeth.

He coughed and whispered under his breath, _"Please let me go."_

Smugleaf stroked his head. _"There there, my fellow chu. I'm sorry I was rough back there, I didn't wanna hurt you. You're just too adorable, you know. Why would anyone try to hurt you with a face like yours? Hmm?"_

Pikachu craned his neck and gasped. _"Please!"_

Smugleaf tightened her hold over him. _"There isn't much I could do, boy. If I let you go, where would you go? You're a Pokémon in a foreign land, you don't have the nerve to survive the countless waves of poachers and Pokémon collectors who would kill for a Pokémon like you. But don't worry, you'll be save here. Big bad Soho won't hurt you anymore."_

She pressed her hand against his belly. Not much fat around his middle, just fur and muscle. Not quite as plush as she thought it would be. But still, he was soft and cuddly. Maybe if he was larger he would be more adorable. Wrap him up with a blanket, feed him a bottle.

_Yeah, _Smugleaf thought. _That would make anyone's day._

But would _he_ agree?

Before Smugleaf could ask, a hand grabbed her by the vine. A powerful blast of electricity rocketed through her system. The world flashed purple, the air reeking ozone. Smugleaf's vines lost her grip on Pikachu as the hand pulled her away and tossed her out of the cell.

Smugleaf cradled her arms around her head as she hit the concrete wall. It was a solid thud, her body compressed against it. She felt a bone in her arm snap, it was so brief that Smugleaf couldn't register it until she hit the floor.

Oh damn it hurts, it ripped through her arm like a zipper. She never had a broken bone before, it took her by surprise. Smugleaf let out a squawk, her vines drooped and coiled around her like rope. She cradled her broken arm and sobbed, then a hand grabbed her throat.

Tesla towered over her. He was pissed, really pissed. She never saw him this angry before. Smugleaf froze, the pain in her arm forgotten. She feared for her life under the mercy of the Master of Electricity.

Ash's Pikachu sat in the cell, too disoriented to focus. But the Joltik was well aware and just as horrified. He was too small and fragile to help. All he could do was sit there and watch the carnage unfold.

"What did I tell you," Tesla barked at Smugleaf. "What did I tell you on what_ not _to do!?"

She couldn't speak, nor could she breathe. Smugleaf just kicked her legs and struggled for air.

Tesla lifted her up with unbelievable strength and slammed her against the wall. The knife's holster dug into her back, she yelped as she fell back to the floor.

"I told you not to violate my friends, had I not?"

"Yes," she squealed.

"And did I told you not to point that knife at me?"

"I didn't have a choice from that!"

Tesla kicked her hard in the solar plexus. Her lungs explode with air. She gasped, struggled to breathe. Smugleaf tried to crawl away to safety, but Tesla stomped on her tail, pinning her down. "Why?!"

Smugleaf sobbed. "Nobark ordered me to do it!"

"Back in that command bunker you looked like you wanted to."

"I don't have a choice no matter how I feel!" Smugleaf then cradled her arm and cried. "Ow, you broke my arm! You broke my arm!"

"Shame on you, Smugleaf," Tesla hissed. "Just shame on you!"

**. . .**

She laid on the floor, bruised and battered, crying her eyes out. Her vines coiled all over the place, her arm appearing to have a second elbow. Tesla stared at her for a moment and watched her cry, he panted and stretched his legs. It had been a long time since he had thrown a temper like that. He had forgotten what it felt like. Tesla's blood pressure skyrocket while his head felt like it was getting ready to explode. There was no time to rest. He didn't wanna be in this place any longer than he had to. Tesla turned back to Smugleaf. Again, she tried to crawl to safety. Tesla grabbed her shoulder and stopped her, then proceed to pull Smugleaf's holster off of her.

Her noodle arms squirmed out through the straps. She cried louder, her screams bouncing off the walls. Smugleaf reached up with her good arm and tried to grab her knife back, but Tesla held up a hand and blast a tiny sliver of lightning at her. She squealed, her crying reduced to mere muffles.

Tesla turned back toward Ash's Pikachu cell. He was on his back, looking like he was sleeping. The Joltik just sat there. His four eyes stared at the wall, drifting off to space. Tesla closed the cell and locked it. With Smugleaf's knife in hand, the old Pikachu stepped around her vines and walked out of the Pokémon jail.

He walked back straight toward the command bunker. Several Pokémon passed him by. A few rolled their eyes over him. Those who merely glance at him quickly point their peepers in the other direction. About halfway down the walking trail, the PRA kept a respectable distance from Tesla. They sensed his aura, it was steaming, boiling madly. No one wanted to cross his path. Tesla made it to the bunker unimpeded. He walked in and stepped into his bedroom.

There, while lying on his bed, the old Pikachu shook off his temper. He held up Smugleaf's knife. The holster was made of rough leather. Tan, brown in some areas, cream in others. The original color, Tesla realized. It was worn in with daily abuse. The edges were fraying on the sides, the stitches digging into the leather. Tesla noticed some parts of the holster was glued on where stitches once bound the leather together. Tesla pulled out the knife. Its carbon-impregnated face was still covered with scratches, the handle blemished and worn smooth. It was also clean. She hadn't used it in a while, maybe she barely even used it at all these days. Heck, why would she? Her life wasn't in constant threat, and she was a leader in the PRA. Sure, she might use it for outside missions. But the knife was a little too long to make clean kills. It was made more for intimidation than killing.

_No, _Tesla thought. _It was made for cutting tomatoes._

Tesla slipped the knife back into its holster and slid it under his bed, he let out a yawn as he laid down. He set the internal clock in his head to go off around, let say, seven-thirty. Yeah, that should be a good time to get up. He would have plenty of time to eat dinner and live a little before going out on Nobark's absurd capture mission. _Take him out, _Nobark had said. What does he mean by that? Knock out the trainer, or kill him?

_Doesn't matter, _Tesla thought. _He would be out of commission either way._

The old Pikachu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He didn't fall asleep completely, but stayed around a state of awareness and sleep. After being caught by surprise that morning, Tesla felt more paranoid than ever. Might as well sleep with the lights on.

The old Pikachu's eyes shot open at that last thought. _Fort Wernher's power, _he realized. _How was the PRA generating its own power?_

**. . .**

Rex searched all of Carbondale till the sun began to set. He was getting nervous. When he discovered Ash wasn't neither in his hotel or the Pokémon Center, things started getting tense. He asked around if anyone saw him and his friends. Again, everyone he talked to claimed they didn't see anyone matching Ash's description. So Rex went to the Carbondale Pokémon Center and asked the Nurse Joy with specific detail. At what time Ash came in that morning? When did he leave? Nurse Joy said she was busy and hadn't paid much attention. The Audino was no help either. When Rex asked if it saw Ash, it said no. He didn't bother asking for more detail.

Then Rex had an idea.

He looked around the lobby and noticed a security camera screwed into the ceiling. Rex asked if he could see the video footage from that morning. Nurse Joy agreed. She took him to the security room where a total of nine LED monitors covered the wall above an olive green steel desk. Nurse Joy turned on the main screen and went through the data files from that morning. She explained that for every hour, a program in the computer compresses the video and audio footage from that sixty minute period and stores it in an external four terabyte hard drive and a backup hard drive with equal amount of storage. "For insurance purposes," she says. "This is Unova citizens' tax dollars at work."

Rex watched Nurse Joy clicked on today's folder, then clicked on the lobby folder, she highlighted six timestamps from and hit the enter key. All six videos popped up on the screen. Their video footage was crystal clear, not the cheap video cameras installed in mom and pop shops. "High definition," Nurse Joy said. "A thousand and eighty p, sadly no audio."

Rex watched through all six hours from that morning. So far a lot of nothing. Just trainers coming in and going, feeding their Pokémon and mending their wounds. Business as usual. On the 9AM video, Ash and his friends pop up on the screen. Rex didn't need to tell Nurse Joy, she clicked on it and pulled it up on the main screen. She held down the timeline cursor and dragged it across the bar. The world in the video moved with precision and lightning speed. Ash and his friends sat down at the nearby table, the Audino served them breakfast, then they started eating. Nurse Joy scrolled a little further.

Then the normal routine broke.

An Emolga ran in through the front doors, all hyped up in panic. Nurse Joy resumes normal speed and hit the audio button. The muted world in the video was instantly filled with sound, Rex stood there and watched.

The Emolga, a normal sprite. Mark's Emolga had brown fur, not graphite gray. The Sky Squirrel sounded like it was panicking, something bad must have happened. The Emolga ran in, searched around, looking for something. Then saw Ash, then ran straight for him. Ash's Pikachu jumped down and the Emolga spoke to him. Unintelligible Pokémon speech was exchanged. The Audino took notes on a notepad and watched.

Ash and his friends realized that the Emolga had run into trouble. They didn't take a moment to debate it, they just jumped straight into action. They dropped what they were doing and followed the Emolga out of the Pokémon Center. Then nothing.

The Audino handed the pad to Rex. It was written in neat cursive, directly over the lines. It wasn't in script format, just a paragraph that got straight to the point: _Emolga said its friend was in trouble, that a Snivy had attacked them in the forest and its friend was hurt. That was all it took to get them to follow it._

Rex handed the notepad back to the Audino. "Thank you."

The Audino nodded. "Aud."

He then said to the Nurse Joy, "The Emolga was looking for Ash. When Pokémon look for help, they wander to random people and beg. Sometimes they just sit there and cry, hoping for someone to come to their aid," then Rex asked. "Can you switch to the outside camera?"

"Yes," said the Nurse Joy.

She backed track and clicked on the main entrance camera. It brought up a view of the outside world at roughly the same time where the lobby camera was stopped. Nurse Joy rewind the video back to when the Emolga showed up. It strolled up to view. It didn't wander around as Rex had stated, it went straight for the Pokémon Center. It stopped occasionally and looked around, as if it was being watched. The Emolga ran straight into the Pokémon Center, moments later it came out with Ash and his friends. The Sky Squirrel led them down the same path it came.

"They're heading into the forest," said the Nurse Joy.

"Which is the stomping grounds of the PRA," Rex added.

The Audino's eyes went big, then turned away. "Auuu," it murmured.

Rex didn't bother in asking Nurse Joy to check if they had come back, because they didn't. He had already pieced everything together. "The Emolga was sent by the PRA to find Ash and his friends. It went in straight to him, like it knows where he was. It got Ash's attention. He and his friend's followed the Emolga to the forest where the PRA captured them."

Nurse Joy said, "The Emolga didn't look like it was acting. It appeared to be it was telling the truth."

"The PRA tried to keep their intentions roughly truthful, cause people and Pokémon alike might sniff out a lie. What the Emolga said was true, but it didn't give the whole picture, just what Ash and his friends needed to know."

Nurse Joy turned to Rex, "You've gotta go to the police and tell them what happened?"

"And what would they do?" Rex asked. "The Pokémon Resistance Army are held up in a compound loaded with weapons of war. Combine that with their special abilities would turn a police raid into a bloodbath."

Nurse Joy sat there for a moment and stared at the screen. The video continued to play, showing a normal world, business as usual.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Nurse Joy," said Rex.

"You're welcome."

Rex stepped out of the security room and walked back to the lobby. Sara and Volts sat on the sofas, waiting for him. They held their head up as he approached. "Rai Rai?" she asked.

He had never lied to Sara, and he was careful when he tell her news. Rex wasn't sure how to spell it out for them, there was nothing good about it. He had broken a lot of news to her, both good and bad. Sara could tell the difference between the two, she could see it in his face. The Mouse Pokémon stared at Rex for a moment, then her eyes started to water.

"The PRA got them," he simply said. "We don't have many options left, Sara."

Sara started to whimper, Rex sat down next to her and she buried her face into his shoulder. She cried loudly, her cries muffled in his jacket. Volts just sat there, paralyzed with horror. He never always see his mom cry. But when he does, he just closes it out. Put up walls in his mind, shutting himself in. Rex rubbed Volts head. He got no response, just a blank stare.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	27. Chapter 27

_Chapter 27_

Clouds rolled in as the sun set for the fourth night. The sky was pitch black, a starless night. In Soho, the streets were vacated. Streetlamps kicked on, lights from windows shut off. Crown Vics ruled the roads, hunting those who violated curfew. Marshal Law had gripped the town for fifteen years. Not a single resident had not experienced the flashing red and blue lights passing by their windows. For the few residence that still had Pokémon, they tucked them into bed, whispering reassuring words into their ear while cradling their tiny bodies. Carbondale was just as quiet, but no Marshall Law or curfew or flashing Crown Vics. Nightwalkers like old folks, young couples, and the occasional stray Meowth, patrol the barrens streets. A few windows were lit up, and the people inside them were either reading a book or watching late evening news. Nothing unusual, as far as everyone was concerned Carbondale was quiet and peaceful.

Springfield was another story. It was dead. Not a single light blaze aside from the squad cars. The damage Tesla had done to the transformer was bad. Technicians inspecting the damage discovered that not only were the transformers fried beyond repair, any appliance connected to outlets were also fried. Refrigerators went out. People had already dumped all their perishable foods out into every trash can and dumpster they could find. A few longtime citizens thought the town was really dead. The PRA had just attacked them. Maybe the mayor would throw up walls, hire more officers, like Soho had. But they had no source of income to back it up. The town wasn't built to settle, not to thrive. With time, maybe a few weeks or so, Springfield would be abandoned and disassembled for scrap.

Fort Wernher was just as dark, but life was flourishing. Pokémon ate comfortably around the fire pits, casually chatting and horsing around. Giggles and laughs echoed faintly around the PRA base. Woody walked around, replacing whatever broken light bulb he could find. The old incandescent bulbs were replaced with bright LED ones. They gave off a bluish-white light, a spectrum similar to the sun. Every time Woody screws in a new bulb, the base got brighter. Pokémon began to take notice. They blinked, rubbing their eyes. Fort Wernher started glowing with a bluish-white tint. Several Pokémon walked up to the new bulbs, stricken at all by its light. A few loved it, while some were weary. They had all been in the dark for so long, they had forgotten what artificial light looked like. It felt strange, yet familiar.

Tendon mended Smugleaf's broken arm. She had sat her on the operating table, now sterile and free of blood, and gave her a healthy dose of laughing gas. After determining which bone was broken, the Audino sliced open Smugleaf's nimble forearm, then took out some special white putty from a tub. Tendon first mended the break, mashing the putty around the break, before sewing the incision closed. Tendon then wrapped the stitches with gauze bandaging and put a temporary brace on the arm. She then took the oxygen mask off of Smugleaf and carried her to a bed, where she slept for the rest of the night.

Nobark sat in his bedroom. He stared at the PVC folder, still feeling sheepish about peaking inside. He couldn't force himself to look, instead he ate his MRE dinner and went to bed. His memory of capturing Ash was forgotten, as Tesla had predicted. Nobark yawned and laid down on his cot. He had no trouble falling asleep, sleep came fast in minutes. For once in decades, Nobark felt no stress. To him, everything was getting better. Everything felt safe, the future looked bright.

But that feeling won't last.

**. . .**

The internal clock in Tesla's head chirped around midnight, he sat up and stretched his legs. He remembered his task. Find a Team Rocket or Team Plasma guy in a trenchcoat, take him out, and bring his Pokémon back to Fort Wernher for interrogation. Why not just capture the damn bastard and interrogate him, just what would his Pokémon know? Tesla closed his eyes and thought for a moment. He recalled Irvin had been a part-time Team Rocket member. He had access to all sorts of material. Tesla was there to see it. He listened in to every conversation, read every intel, saw every kind of machine imaginable, all from sitting on Irvin's shoulder. But would this guy have a walking Pokémon? Full-time members were less likely to have walking Pokémon, as they handle with poached Pokémon. These poached Pokémon would be starved, missing hair, missing body parts, even a blind eye or two. Disfigured, demoralized, and often euthanized for their hides.

Nobark saw the carnage himself. He slipped out of his Poké ball one time after Irvin dropped his bag the wrong way, Nobark's Poké ball malfunctioned and spat him out like chewed gum. He went looking around the base, looking for Irvin. Instead he found poached Pokémon, locked within titanium cages, sealed behind a sheet of plexiglass. The horror he felt must be horrendous, as Irvin found him sitting next to his bag, his eyes wide with terror.

_Maybe that had done it, _Tesla thought. _Maybe that radicalized him._

But what _was _him?

Tesla got off the bed and stepped out of his room. He checked up on Mark's Pokémon. They were still in the den, sleeping soundly. So far Nobark hadn't made any direct threats toward their safety. A good sign for Mark, but nothing good for Ash. Mark's Emolga curled up with his great-granddaughter, snuggled under their blanket. Same thing for Plusle and Minun, they were curled up and sleeping peacefully. All four Pokémon showed no signs of bad dreams, so far.

He carefully closed the door and head toward the front door. A bright white light streamed through as Tesla opened it. He blinked, then adjusted his eye-goggles. Fort Wernher was lit up with bright white light. New bulbs, it seemed. Tesla looked at the outdoor lamp mounted on the command bunker. Sure enough it was a new bulb. An LED, giving off a bluish-white tint, was screwed into a rusty metal socket that was almost as old as him. Tesla looked out into Fort Wernher, he saw not a single Kerosene lamp lit.

_Where are they getting their power? _

He couldn't see any power lines, Fort Wernher had a below-ground power grid. But where would the power station be? Tesla turned to the warehouse. Several outdoor lamps shined between the garage doors, lighting them up like a concert stage. Tesla walked through there the night before, it was black as night. Now the warehouse and the entire base was bright as day. Tesla recalled waiting for Woody to open the garage door when he first arrived. The Muscular Pokémon was in the back room, doing what? His main room with the junk and cot looked heavily used, his center of operations. What was in the back that he needed to check on?

_Only one way to find out._

The old Pikachu walked to the warehouse. He made a casual glance around the base. All the Pokémon were eating dinner around the fire pits. They were not eating MREs, but cooked pizza, hot pockets, Raman noodles. They paid no attention to Tesla, they were too focused in their meals to notice anything. When Tesla passed one of the fire pits, the smell of pizza strangled his nose. His Pikachu instincts spiked, making his mouth water. Tesla squeezed his eyes shut and fought the urges back. Dinner could wait, he need to get this done. But he couldn't stop thinking about pizza. Tesla groaned. How long had it been since he last had pizza? He'd forgotten what pepperoni tasted like, and sausage, even the plain cheese pizza. The pepperoni and sausage combos were the best when loaded with soft cheddar cheese dipped in nacho cheese.

_It could wait, _Tesla thought. _It could wait._

Tesla approached the garage doors, he grabbed the handle and pulled it open just a crack. After checking to see if anyone was watching, he squeezed himself under the garage door and slipped inside. The pizza smell was replaced with sawdust and motor oil. Tesla's mouth stopped watering, his belly stopped gnawing. He shut the garage door, trapping the offending odors outside.

_Oh, what a relief. _

Tesla looked inside the warehouse. Woody's workshop was less messy than before. With the trash removed, the workshop had more space. The stains where the trash piles used to sit were still there, reeking of stale beer and motor oil. The old and wooden tools that used to lay everywhere were now were gone, replaced with modern ones that had chrome and rubber handles. They hanged off the wall above the workbenches, which were also clean. The cot itself still sat in the middle of the floor, Woody's cherished radio sat next to it. Tesla pressed the back of his hand against the cot. It was cold, Woody had yet to go to bed. Tesla turned toward the backroom. The door was wide open, it was pitch-black inside. Tesla didn't bother calling out for Woody, he stayed quiet. He didn't want Woody to know he had been rooting around in his things.

The old Pikachu stepped into the backroom and flicked on the light switch, the florescent lights flickered, then buzzed to life.

Before him were plastic shelves, all recently set up. They stood in rows, stretching all the way to the back of the room. On the shelves were canned goods and easy-make meals, spoils from the raid the night before. They were neatly stacked, organized by alphabetical order. Tesla glanced at the floor, it was stained with the same grease stains in the workshop. It smelled like stale beer and gasoline. Tesla covered his nose, had Woody used this room a landfill before turning it into a pantry? He looked around for a window. He saw none. What did Woody keep in here? The old Pikachu walked along the shelves, the fur on his feet sticking through the grease puddles. They were thick, strong. Definitely stains from trash pileup.

But why would Woody be rooting around in here if the room was nothing but trash?

When Tesla got halfway through the room, he knew why.

He heard a hum, a soft hum. The hum grew to a buzz and the buzz grew to a rumbling. It sounded like a motor, an industrial motor. Tesla could hear the soft whine industrial motors make. Very faint, but it was there. Tesla reached the back of the room. He found two doors. One of them was made of metal. It had red and white stripes on the top and bottom. A sign labeled _Warning: Ear Protection Required _was mounted on its face. Tesla pressed his hand against the door, it vibrated and buzzed along with the motor. A motor of what? The old Pikachu looked back to see if anyone had followed him. Nobody was there, the backdoor was shut and closed.

Tesla opened the metal door.

Jackpot.

Inside were two diesel generators. They were old and covered with dust. One was functioning, its dynamo spinning away. The other was dormant and still. Tesla listened to the roar of the working generator. No odd clicks and knocks, nor abnormal buzzing. It was running normally for its age. Tesla closed the door, the roar quickly silenced back to a soft hum.

So there was their source of electricity, a diesel generator. But where was Woody getting that fuel?

Tesla shrugged, that question could wait for another time. Right now he needed to get a move on. He turned to the other door and opened it. It led to the main storage room. Tesla stepped out and shut the door behind him, then walked across the storage room. He stepped out the door to the forest. It too had an outdoor lamp. It lit up the area around the door. Tesla looked out into the woods, nothing but pitch blackness.

The old Pikachu pulled the door shut and stepped out into the night.

**. . .**

Smugleaf walked back to the elite bunker, groggy with anesthesia, dry tears covering her face. Her arm was immobilized and in a sky-blue sling. Smugleaf sniffled, at least Tendon did a good job fixing up her arm. Thankfully she was around, Smugleaf would've gotten an infection, and that would be bad. The Grass Snake Pokémon cradled her broken arm and walked around the back, where the PRA won't see her. She unconsciously rubbed where the straps of knife's holster dug into her shoulders. If it wasn't humiliating enough, losing her knife was worse. Smugleaf loved that knife, it was the only thing she had left of her trainer.

Smugleaf stepped into the PRA bunker and stood in the hall for a minute. It was quiet. Wotter was either meditating or sleeping, she heard nothing stirring behind his bedroom door. Smugleaf walked up to her bedroom and opened the door. Bubbles was there, laying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. She heard Smugleaf stepped in and sat up, saw the broken arm and cried, _"What happened, Smugleaf!?"_

_ "I'll tell you later, Bubbles," _said Smugleaf. _"I'm hurting all over and I'm tired, I just wanna go to bed."_

The Grass Snake Pokémon got up on the bed and plopped her head on the pillow, then shifted on her left side. Oh, why did Tesla had to break the wrong arm?

_"You're covered in bruises," _said Bubbles. _"Who beat you up?"_

_ "Actually I was thrown," _said Smugleaf. _"Then kicked." _

She left out the part about being electrocuted, but Bubbles seemed to have noticed the smell. Smugleaf reeked with ozone, the byproduct of electrified air. The Sea Otter didn't appeared to understand the smell, but she could understand the smoke smell. _"Why?" _Bubbles asked.

Smugleaf sighed, _"Wrongdoing," _then she said. _"I'll tell you in the morning, Bubbles. Please, I'm tired and I just wanna go to bed."_

Bubbles laid down beside her and dug underneath the covers, Smugleaf pulled the comforter up to her shoulders and stretched out a vine to turn off the lights. She then pulled off the sling and sat it on the floor. Her arm ached, the skin around it itched. She wrapped it around Bubble's neck and gently pulled her in. Bubbles rested her cheek on her bicep, but felt quite sheepish. _"You're still weird," _she said.

_"How long are you going to keep saying that?" _Smugleaf asked.

Bubbles didn't answer, she simply got into a comfortable position and fell asleep.

**. . .**

Wotter stood in front of the mirror and looked at himself. He wore a navy blue sweater he got from the raid. It had no buttons, no zipper. The fabric was cotton. It felt soft enough. Tendon picked it up for him on the second trip, she said it matched his pelt. Wotter agreed, it did matched his pelt. The colors were exact, they weren't brighter nor darker than the other. Wotter stared at himself into his own eyes and nodded. He wasn't sure why the fashion design had no zipper or buttons. It didn't matter, he had fur to keep him warm.

He popped open another beer and drank it down, belched, and sat the can on the nightstand. So far he wasn't feeling a buzz, usually three beers would do it. Nonetheless, he felt warm, a good alternative than being half-drunk. Wotter fished open the refrigerator and found a water bottle. He twisted it open and emptied the bottle into his stomach. Once empty, he got in a stance and urinated into the bottle. The bottle quickly filled up with dark-yellow liquid. Was he that dehydrated? Well, at least that explained the headaches.

Wotter dropped the bottle in the trash can and climbed into bed. Sleep came fast, as it always had.

**. . .**

Tesla navigated his way through the dark forest. No stars, just clouds. The air was cold, yet humid. The old Pikachu sensed rain coming, he could tell. Humidity always climbed before a rainstorm. But what kind of storm was it? A thunderstorm? Around this time of the year? Unova's weather system was unique. It could be sunny in one part of the region and raining hail in another. Maybe it was because Unova was bigger than other regions, or it was the jet stream's unusual twisted path. He couldn't tell. He wasn't a meteorologist.

When he reached Carbondale, his fur was matted with mildew and his skin was cold. Tesla ignored it. This was nothing, he had been in much worst conditions. He looked out over the town and scanned for patrolling law enforcement. He saw none. Tesla casually stepped out of the woods and sprinted into the town. He quickly charged into the alley and slowed down. He thought for a moment. If the insomniac was up and about, where would he walk? And how would he be taken down without witnesses? Tesla scratched his head, his fertile mind spraining a lobe.

_I need the high ground, _he thought. _I need to see the whole town from above._

Tesla found a ladder to the rooftops bolted to a building, he climbed up and rushed to the edge and looked out over street level. Bright LED streetlamps glowed over the streets, lighting up the darkened faces of closed shops and restaurants in the area. He saw a soul or two wandering the streets. None of them wore a black trenchcoat, just ordinary citizens probably heading home from work or taking a nightly stroll. Tesla ran parallel to the edge and scanned for the trenchcoat guy. The air whipped through his fur, chilling him to the bone. Tesla shivered, he tried to stay focused by keeping his mind of the rough description. This guy had to be somewhere. Just where would a shady character venture to if he needed to be alone?

Alleyways? A little too discreet, assuming this guy does not mind mold and the smell of trash, he might not be traveling the alleyways at night. Too dark, so dark that the shadows might take the form of burglars and strike the guy. Of course, he was Team Rocket. He might defend himself, and that may or may not be a problem, depending on how the encounter goes. Tesla took a deep breath and tried to think. Team Rocket guy, insomniac, likes to walk at night.

Tesla stopped for a moment and checked the alley. Nothing. A gentle breeze blew passed his ears, he rubbed his arms and shivered. Cold, really cold. Hopefully he won't catch pneumonia. He couldn't afford to get sick. Tesla kept on moving and kept checking the streets. The occasional passerby would appear. Again, none of them had a black trenchcoat. He looped around the block and scanned two full streets. He heard some nighttime chatter, a radio playing, a TV flashing and spitting out sharp sudden sounds. Tesla heard a few Pokémon. Their voices sounded high, squeaky even. Small Pokémon obviously. Both human and Pokémon Carbondale residence didn't sound so anxious. If they had heard of news from Springfield, they weren't showing it. Maybe news from the PRA was common to them, or the Unova government censored it on the news.

_Blackout stories, _Tesla thought. But Carbondale was too close to Springfield. Even if the Unova government censored the Springfield raid on the media, Carbondale should still know. Both towns were practically neighbors, and both towns might have friends in each other's settlements. So what was going on here?

Tesla got down from the rooftops and stepped out onto the street. He saw the Carbondale Pokémon Center. Lights glow inside, shining out the windows like a beacon. Tesla smelled his own armpit. Yeah, he needed to wash. If he was going to hammer this guy, it didn't hurt to be civil about it. Tesla approached the Pokémon Center and walked inside. The lobby's lights burned his eyes, Tesla blinked and looked around. Empty. He turned to the cafeteria and stuck his head through the door.

A guy sat in one of the tables. He wore black pants and boots. A trenchcoat was folded up and placed beside him. His skin was pale, his hair a dirty blond, his eyes sapphire blue.

Tesla never believed in coincidences. Practically most humans in the world are trainers and they associate themselves with anything with Pokémon in some way. Criminal or not, the guy with the trenchcoat probably grew up like any ordinary trainer. Enthusiastic about the world, wanting to catch all the Pokémon he could get his hands on.

So why not poach Pokémon for a living? It was practically the same as catching Pokémon with Poké balls. Except you use cages and force fields instead. Forget the classic Pokémon battle, just come in and drop a bag over the Pokémon in question. Or better yet, use a gun, assuming you had no intention to take one alive.

The guy with the trenchcoat continued to eat his meal. Soup maybe, smelled like it was full of seasoning. Tesla's stepped out of the cafeteria. Might as well let the guy eat his meal, for courtesy sake.

He headed to the back of the Pokémon Center and found the restroom. Tesla walked in and grabbed a shampoo bottle from the dispenser, then took a long shower. He scrubbed good and he scrubbed hard. A carpet of loose fur clogged the drain. Tesla nudged the fur off with his toe. No good. So the old Pikachu simply shut off the shower and left it there. He tossed the empty shampoo bottle into the trash can and grabbed a fresh toothbrush and toothpaste. Tesla brushed his teeth for four minutes instead of two. He wanted his breath smelling fresh for tonight. He then tossed them both into the trash can and grabbed a towel from another dispenser. He wiped his mouth and fur, then bundled it up and tossed it into the laundry bin.

Tesla stepped out of the restroom and went back to the cafeteria.

The trenchcoat guy was gone.

No sign of him anywhere but the faint smell of soup. Tesla simply shrugged. He was an insomniac, he would be out wandering about in the streets. So Tesla headed back outside and looked around.

There he was, walking down the sidewalk, his back turned to him.

Tesla kept his distance as he tailed the guy back to his safehouse. The guy in the trenchcoat hadn't looked back once. He wasn't paranoid, which was good, and yet it was strange, as somebody with a criminal career would normally be a little bit paranoid. But not this guy, he was cool and calm like he had nothing incriminating to hide. Tesla wondered if this guy might be a former member. He didn't look like the vacationing type. The guy in the trenchcoat would have worn more comfortable clothing. Why dress like a man who had something to hide, Tesla would never know, nor did he wanted to. He had something Nobark wants, and for whatever reason the Hoodlum Pokémon either wanted him in a coma or killed. So far Tesla hadn't seen any evidence he was an asshole. The old Pikachu could tell quite early if one was indeed a scumbag. The guy in the trenchcoat didn't have the look, nor the posture, he looked more like he was keeping his business to himself rather than being a detriment to society.

Tesla watched as the guy made a turn toward a motel. The motel looked deserted, he saw no vehicles of any kind in the parking slots. All the windows were black save for the lobby, which was lit up like a supernova. The guy in the trenchcoat approached his door, pulled out a keycard and swiped it across the electronic lock.

He pushed the door open.

Tesla broke into a sprint, the guy was halfway into his motel when the old Pikachu leaped. He held up his hand and karate chopped his neck, followed up with an electric surge. The guy in the trenchcoat grunted and collapsed to the floor. Tesla quickly jumped off the guy and shut the door. He held his breath and waited.

No sudden rush of activity, no panicked voices, no frantic footsteps. Tesla waited for another five minutes, still nothing.

He was safe.

Tesla fished open the guy's pockets. He found a Kanto passport with the guy's picture and birthday on it. His name was O.J. Stanton, age thirty-four, born in Viridian City. His passport was roughly four and a half years old. Tesla dug further. He found a black communicator bearing a red graphic _R _on the back. Tesla tapped the button twice and got no response. He tossed the passport and the communicator on the bed. Not only was the guy from Kanto he was a Team Rocket affiliate of some kind. What level and rank, Tesla wasn't sure. It had been decades since he last seen the Team Rocket hierarchy, but that didn't matter, he found the guy and took him out with no difficulty at all, Nobark would be pleased.

The old Pikachu found three Poké balls in his other pocket. All shrunken. All a little dense. A Pokémon was inside. What kind of Pokémon, Tesla didn't wanna know just yet, they might either be terrified or angry from what just happened, assuming they were aware of what was going on.

He carefully sat all three Poké balls on the bed and began to search the room. Tesla found a briefcase. It was leathery, old fashioned. He opened it up and found a Team Rocket uniform. Black, indicating a high-ranking member, maybe a staff sergeant or a major. It was neatly folded and pressed. Tesla sat it on the table and left it open. Let the police ruffle through it, he didn't wanna dig into more of the guy's personal belongings any more than he had to.

Tesla searched the bathroom and found just a toothbrush and a roll of travel toothpaste. A discarded towel lay on the floor, nothing interesting inside. The old Pikachu then searched the dresser and nightstand. Found nothing but the local motel phonebook. Again, useless.

He had seen enough. Tesla found a nearby bag in the trash can. He grabbed the bag and dumped its contents out, then tossed the communicator, the passport, and the three Poké balls into the bag. Tesla searched Stanton a second time, this time his trenchcoat. He found a gun. A .45 caliber Desert Eagle. It was huge in Tesla's hands, so big that it took at least four fingers to cover the trigger. He popped the magazine and looked inside. Fifteen rounds. He snapped it close and tossed it in the bag, then searched the other flaps. He found two extra magazines, both fully loaded and ready to go. Tesla raised an eyebrow. Just why would a guy have a large gun, yet have a passport? Tesla took a second look at the passport. Sure enough, the guy had a time stamp dating two weeks previous, exactly around eight-thirty in the morning. It looked legit. Maybe it was a forgery, maybe it wasn't. Mr. O.J. Stanton could've gotten the gun somewhere in Unova. Perhaps it was smuggled in for him for a mission.

Whatever that mission was, it must be intense. The Desert Eagle is accurate within at least fifteen meters. Quite reliable and durable, more reliable than the 9mm Glocks that had replaced it. Tesla tossed the passport back into the bag. If this guy managed to get a hold of a powerful gun, then he didn't wanna around to see who gave it to him. Tesla tied a knot into the bag and hoist it over his shoulder, then turned to the door. He poked his head outside and saw no one. The old Pikachu shut the motel door and ran off into the night.

**. . .**

Tesla was back in Fort Wernher within twenty minutes. He went to the Pokémon jail and took out the passport, the communicator, and the gun out of the bag, then set the back inside of an empty cell and locked it. If Stanton's Pokémon figured out how to break out of their Poké balls, then they won't be getting through that door without stirring up some trouble. The old Pikachu left the jail and headed back to the command bunker, he went straight to Nobark's bedroom, knocked twice, then stepped inside.

Nobark stirred and sat up on his cot. Before he said a word Tesla tossed Stanton's passport onto Nobark's lap, then the communicator, "Is this the guy?" he asked.

The Hoodlum Pokémon opened the passport and squinted, "Yeah, this is the guy. You have his Pokémon?"

"They're locked up in the Pokémon jail, but they're still in their Poké balls."

"Why dump them in the jail if they're already stuck in the Poké balls?"

"Some Pokémon figured out how to break out of their Poké balls, so I'm not taking any chances."

Nobark nodded, "Good call, Ash's Oshawott busted out of its Poké ball when we brought him in."

"We'll interrogate the Pokémon in the morning, right after breakfast. Do you have a room we could use for the interrogation?"

"Yeah, there's a soundproof room in the Pokémon jail with a one-way mirror."

"Good enough, I'll see you in the morning, buddy."

Nobark looked at him with frustration, then smiled, "I hope I see you every morning."

_As long as you live, _Tesla thought, but didn't say.

The Mouse Pokémon stepped out of Nobark's bedroom and head back to his own room. Normally he would go have breakfast, but he was too tired to eat. So Tesla simply stuck the Desert Eagle and the spare ammunition under his bed flopped on the mattress. He yawned, before quickly diving into sleep within minutes.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	28. Chapter 28

_Chapter 28_

Nobark woke up roughly around five-thirty in the morning. He didn't feel so good. His head hurt and his stomach ached. The Hoodlum Pokémon climbed out of his cot and stretched his arms and legs. Several joints cracked, then sprang sharp intervals of pain. He groaned, he felt like he just suddenly aged twenty years. He stepped out of the bedroom and made his way outside. The hallway suddenly felt longer, why did it feel so long? Nobark tripped and nearly collapsed. He grabbed the wall and steadied himself, before continuing on toward the door.

Outside the world was a whitish gray. Nobark blinked, the sky was so cloudy, and yet so bright. The Hoodlum Pokémon couldn't look at the sky directly, it stung his one good eye hard. He forced himself to look forward and headed to the elite bunker. Early risers were already setting up the fire pits for today's breakfast. Their eyes rolled over Nobark as he passed. A few looked up at him. He waved. They waved back. No words were exchanged because no one felt like talking.

Nobark walked into the elite bunker and courteously knocked on Smugleaf's door. He waited. The Grass Snake Pokémon answered it within a minute. She stood there, rubbing an eye, yawning. Smugleaf didn't looked like she was eager to start the day, more like she wanted an extra few minutes of sleep. "Morning, Smugleaf," said Nobark.

"Morning," Smugleaf said in mid-yawn.

Before Nobark asked her if she had any plans for today, he noticed the brace on her arm, and the bandage. Nobark's eyes went big, he took her hand and looked at it. "Oh f*ck, Smugleaf. What happened!?"

Smugleaf didn't answer right away, just took a moment to think of answer. Then she replied, "Tesla caught me doing something I shouldn't be doing."

"Which was?"

"I was cuddling with Ash's Pikachu. He didn't like that, so he grabbed me by the shoulder and threw me against the wall. He was strong, Nobark, really strong. He broke my arm, then proceed to electrocute me and beat me, while berating me for my actions."

Nobark had seen Tesla discipline his fellow friends before. It was often never pretty. After so many warnings, he would snap and proceed to hit them. Sometimes he would grab them and shut down their central nervous system so they wouldn't fight back. It would jump the fear factor, the Pokémon would practically beg for Tesla's mercy, frantically apologizing. He would simply say, "I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," before throwing them in a closet and locking them inside for the rest of the day. Harsh, fast, and frightening. Not something anyone wanna see once a week.

The Hoodlum Pokémon asked, "Are you going to be alright?"

"Tendon fixed me up," said Smugleaf. "I should be fine for now."

Smugleaf lowered her head, then whimpered. Nobark wrapped his arms around her as she pressed her head against his chest. She whimpered, while Nobark gently patted her back. He noticed her knife was gone. He saw no sign of it in the room. Nobark didn't bother bringing it up, Tesla might've taken it, he didn't wanna remind Smugleaf about it. Instead, Nobark said, "He was harsher when he was younger, usually because of all the stress everyone gave him. His patience was always thin."

"Why is he so mean, Nobark?" Smugleaf asked.

Nobark wiped a tear off her face with his thumb, then said, "He lost what he had loved, Smugleaf. So long ago. He never recovered from that."

"What kind of Pikachu is he, Nobark?"

Nobark shrugged, "The kind after Team Rocket was done with. Here, Smugleaf. Let's go get some breakfast, you ever had waffles before?"

Smugleaf shook her head, "No."

"They're pretty good, you should try them."

"Okay."

Nobark led Smugleaf out of the room and walked her out the door.

**. . .**

The internal clock in Tesla's head chimed thirty minutes later. Tesla sat up, yawned, swung his legs over the edge of the bed and jumped down. He stepped out of his bedroom and walked to the den, he flipped on the lights and found Mark's Pokémon where he had left them. They slept peacefully without a care in the world. Tesla walked up to his great-granddaughter and shook her awake. "Time to start the day, guys."

Pikachu moaned, she sat up and yawned, _"What's for breakfast?" _she asked.

_"Whatever you want for breakfast," _said Tesla. _"Assuming we have it, of course."_

Emolga sat up, her eyes were heavy with sleep. She stretched her arms and arched her back, then turned to Tesla. _"I'm bored," _she complained.

Tesla reached up and poked her in the belly, she giggled and swat at him. _"Y'all get up," _he said. _"We're going to find some Pokémon around here we could trust."_

_ "I'm hungry," _Emolga whined.

_"Don't worry," _said Tesla. _"We'll get food."_

Plusle and Minun got up and jumped down to the floor, they staggered on their feet and caught their balance. Emolga pushed the blanket aside and she and Pikachu got off the couch. Tesla led them out of the command bunker and out into the open. The sky was churning white gray clouds, the air was humid and cold. It looked like it was going to rain soon. Mark's Pokémon glanced at the sky with weary looks on their faces, Tesla asked them what was wrong. _"Thunderstorms," _Emolga muttered.

_"You're afraid of lightning?"_

_ "The sound," _said Emolga. _"It scares me."_

_ "Well so far there's no thunder, you can relax a little."_

Tesla looked around at the camp fires, early risers were getting up and gathering around the fire pits. Woody was up and passing out some foot. It looked what was left of MREs and tin cans of various food, along with can openers. Tesla kept an eye open for a suitable crowd. He didn't want any large and predatory Pokémon around the girls, so he looked for any Pokémon that were roughly around their size and attitude. He saw Cabot's Emolga, sitting in a corner alone. He was staring at a crock-pot, which was boiling hot water. The Emolga looked depress, ashamed about something. Tesla nudged Mark's Emolga in the arm and said, _"See that Pokémon right there?"_

Emolga nodded. _"Another Emolga?"_

_ "Yes. This Emolga had lost its trainer, you-know-who had him killed. Now this sky squirrel is alone. He has no friends or relatives, simply nothing left in the world."_

_ "That's sad."_

Tesla said, _"Go cheer him up. Start talking, then start showing affection. Maybe you could get a date with him."_

Mark's Emolga asked, _"Will he even like me?"_

Tesla scanned Mark's Emolga up and down. Cabot's Emolga had the standard dark gray fur while Mark's Emolga was chocolate brown. Unlike Cabot's Emolga, who was mostly bone and muscle, Mark's Emolga was mostly lard. She had a pot belly that was starting to sag over her groin and her cheeks were flush with flesh. From a distance and certain angles, it wasn't noticeable. But up close, Mark's Emolga was definitely fat. _"Course he would like you," _said Tesla. _"All you have to do is like him back."_

Emolga thought for a moment, then nodded. _"Alright, I'll give it a try."_

**. . .**

Cabot's Emolga sat in front of the fire, watching the tongues lick the crock-pot, boiling the water inside. His face and body was warmed from the heat. He couldn't stay warm in the barracks, the bunker had no heating system. Even though everyone got blankets from the raid, they weren't thick enough to keep them warm throughout the night. Someone left the door to the barracks open last night, and the whole place was cold. He was shivering so hard he thought his fur was falling out. Cabot's Emolga sighed, thankfully the fire provided him relief. All he had to do was keep it going long enough until he was warm and toasty.

He looked up and saw Tesla approached, and he wasn't alone. He brought along four outsiders with him. The Kissinger Pokémon, as they were called. One of them was looking straight at him. The other Emolga. She had soft eyes and lush brown fur. When she got closer, Cabot's Emolga couldn't help but note how fleshy she was. She looked like she lived the good life, looking like she was well off or something. The Kissinger Pokémon sat around the campfire, the shiny sprite Emolga sat next to him, but not too close. Tesla turned to him, Cabot quickly gave him his attention. _"I'm going to go get some breakfast," _said Tesla. _"Would you keep an eye on these Pokémon for me?"_

_ "Sure," _said Cabot's Emolga. _"I'll do that."_

When Tesla wondered off, Cabot's Emolga turned toward the shiny sprite. She blinked her soft eyes and said, _"Hello there."_

_ "Uh, hi," _he said.

_"You look sad, what's wrong?"_

_ "I don't wanna talk about it."_

_ "Why not?"_

Cabot's Emolga sighed. _"Cause there's more than one thing on my mind and it's a long and bitter story," _he stared at the fire for a moment, then asked, _"Where you from?"_

_ "Faraday Island."_

_ "That's near Unova."_

_ "Yes."_

_ "How is it?"_

_ "Pretty."_

Cabot's Emolga said, _"I can't help notice how chubby you are."_

_ "I get that a lot," _said the Kissinger Emolga. _"My trainer feeds us anything we want when we feel like it."_

_ "No strict schedule?"_

_ "No, not really."_

_ "My trainer was tight on the food he feeds me, he never lets me have more."_

The Kissinger Pokémon asked, _"You battle?"_

_ "I used to," _he said. _"Do you?"_

_ "No, I'm not the battling kind. I mostly lay around and sleep all day."_

Cabot's Emolga looked at her for a moment. _"I wish I had that life."_

There was a moment of silence, the Pikachu and the Cheering Pokémon duo giggled. Cabot looked at them, the three glanced at each other for a moment, then broke out laughing_. "What's so funny?" _Cabot asked.

They didn't answer, they simply laughed harder. Cabot's Emolga turned to the shiny sprite for explanation. She simply shrugged, she had no idea either.

Mark's Emolga looked out to the distance and gasped.

Cabot turned toward to where she was looking at. He saw Nobark leading Smugleaf through the base. Her arm was wrapped in a sling, bandaged and braced. Nobark appeared to be whispering reassuring words into her ear. The Grass Snake Pokémon just walked on without much reaction. She looked defeated, had something bad happened? Pikachu and the two Cheering Pokémon's laughing ceased. Their faces dropped when they saw their friend's heart sank. The shiny sprite looked away and covered her eyes.

_"What's wrong, Emo?" _Cabot's Emolga asked.

The shiny sprite didn't respond, she just sat there for a long while. First she started whimpering, then she let out a cry. A tear trailed down her face, big and fat with remorse. Cabot's Emolga felt his heart sink to the pit of his stomach, he wasn't sure what to do. _"What's wrong, Emo?" _he asked again.

_"Smugleaf," _she said. _"She's hurt."_

_ "Smugleaf?"_

_ "She's my friend, I knew her forever. She's hurt, friend. Someone hurt her."_

Cabot's Emolga remembered how Smugleaf first held a gun to his face, then cradled and stroke his body like he was a doll. Then he remembered the look on Tesla's face when he told him Smugleaf shot at Volta. The normal sprite stirred both thoughts in his mind for a moment, then suddenly both thoughts snapped together.

_Did Tesla do it? _

The Mouse Pokémon himself approached. He held a box of food in his hands while navigating his way through the crowd. When Tesla saw Emolga's face, he simply sat the box down and got to his knees. _"What's wrong, Emolga?"_

The Sky Squirrel gave Tesla a look, as if she was asking, _Did you hurt Smugleaf? _But she held her peace, instead she wiped a tear away and said, _"I wanna go home."_

Tesla showed no emotion, he simply said, _"I'm working on it, Emolga."_

_ "Did you brought food?"_

_ "Yes, I did. You like the taste of honey and oats?"_

Emolga nodded.

_"I found an MRE that says its honey and oats flavor."_

_ "Do we have milk?"_

_ "We have powdered milk instead."_

_ "Even better."_

Tesla dug into the box and first tossed MRE's to everyone, then he handed out Krispy bars and water bottles. _"There you go, guys," _said Tesla. _"Dig in, while I cook you an even better meal."_

_ "You can cook?" _Cabot's Emolga asked.

_"Technically, no, but it ain't rocket science. I know of a recipe that I often make while camping. Some sort of noodle stew that doesn't taste good, yet doesn't taste bad either."_

Tesla tapped the edge of the crock-pot with the back of his hand, he then grabbed the handles and carefully muscled the crockpot off the fire pit. Taken away from its heat source, the boiling water inside was reduced to a soft sizzle. The normal sprite was amazed. Four Pokémon alone couldn't move a boiling crockpot of water off a burning fire pit. He had seen Pokémon struggle for at least an hour before giving up. Some were burned by splashing hot water, which earned them a trip to the infirmary. Not only Tesla gotten the crock-pot off by himself, he didn't get burned either. He was strong, for a really old Pokémon.

Tesla reached into the box and pulled out a cast-iron frying pan. It was large, the bottom evenly burned from heavy use. The old Pikachu scooped up some boiling water in the crockpot, then sat it on the fire pit's grille. The normal sprite Emolga watched as Tesla poured in thick noodles into the frying pan, then took out a can of coconut milk. He stabbed a hole into the can with a knife, then poured it all into the frying pan. He added some onion seasoning, dispensing it in an even spread. Satisfied, he took out a wooden spoon and stirred the mixture. Cabot's Emolga watched it foam, steam rose off the food and began to boil. The smell was odd. It was neither good nor bad, somewhere in between.

_ "It has a neutral taste," _said Tesla. _"The WA used to eat this occasionally during Irvin's journey, and later the occasional camping trip."_

The old Pikachu finished stirring and sat the spoon aside, then sat down. _"Did you know if you cook your food, you get more nutrition out of it?"_

_ "No," _said Mark's Pikachu. _"Why?"_

_ "Cooked food is softer than its raw state, making it easier to digest. That's why humans have smaller stomachs and smaller jaws. They don't have to work as hard to eat compared to Pokémon." _Tesla stopped and peered in the pot, then continued stirring. _"I first discovered cooked food when Irvin's mom first cooked the family a meal, back when she was willing to feed me. Irvin would share some of it with me. I was suspicious at first, cooked food was different from what I was used to. Yes, I had some garbage that was roughly cooked food when I was your age. But people rarely threw food out back then, and what they throw out was usually rotten vegetables."_

Tesla let out a smile, _"And when I first tasted cooked food for the first time, oh boy did I love it. The extra calories gave me quite a boost. I got smarter, stronger. I had such strong muscles during my twenties and thirties. Even though I was fairly old as a Pikachu in those days, I still had some youth in me to go on and train and battle. The next thing I knew those extra calories started collecting around the love handles. It was a drawback for eating cooked food. Makes your system run more efficiently, however it would make it so efficiently that your body would store it as fat. That's why a lot of Pokémon wound up a little heavier than they should be."_

Cabot's Emolga said, _"Nobark had all of us eat human food rather than the regular Pokémon food." _

_ "He grew up with that notion," _said Tesla. _"I remember him eating a lot of fast food during his Scraggy years. He has a fast metabolism. Hyperactive thyroid gland, I think. That's why you don't see much meat on him." _

Tesla reached into the box and pulled out some bowls and chopsticks. He passed them out to the girls. Cabot's Emolga got a bowl and some chopsticks. He stared at the frying pan of food for a moment, then looked up at Tesla.

The old Pikachu said, _"Back in Vegas City, did you say that you had a strict diet regimen?"_

_ "Yes, I do. Cabot wouldn't let up on it."_

_ "Well, it's over. That life is gone. You should live a little for once. I know that losing your trainer hurts, but there's still things to live for in the world."_

_ "I saw my trainer get shot before my eyes."_

_ "I saw my trainer die in front of me, too. I tried to resuscitate him, but it was no use. I don't know about you, but I spent twenty years depressed over it, even though I never liked my trainer in the first place."_

Tesla picked up the frying pan and poured his noodle stew into the bowls, he then added some into the normal sprite's bowl, then said, _"Thing is, life goes on. Family is important, but where is family? A lot of these Pokémon never even met their parents, let alone remember their own mothers. It's not easy to understand a person who hadn't had parents from one who grew up with them. Believe me, I know. I have the family tree to prove it."_

Cabot's Emolga picked up his bowl. Tesla's homemade noodles didn't smell appetizing, nor did it smell bad. He picked up the chopsticks and fumbled with them in his hand. The Sky Squirrel had seen humans use chopsticks almost all the time, they didn't make it seem too hard. So he took one chopstick and placed his three fingers where he thought was the correct position, then placed the second chopstick underneath that.

Both chopsticks slipped out of his fingers and fell into the bowl.

Tesla sat down the frying pan and said, _"Here, let me help."_

He took the chopsticks and his hand, then wrapped his fingers over the correct position, _"Got a hold of it?"_

_ "Yeah," _said Emolga. _"I got it."_

Tesla let go and Emolga steadied himself, the chopsticks held.

The normal sprite turned to the shiny sprite. She used her chopsticks like a pro, digging into her food like it was a marathon. Mark's Pikachu and the Plusle and Minun dug into their food just as fast, almost like they were in an eating contest.

_"You guys that hungry?" _Tesla asked.

No response.

_"Okay then."_

Cabot's Emolga struggled to pinch the noodles with the chopsticks. They kept slipping and sliding around the bowl, his fingers ached from the awkward position on his hand. Eventually he managed to get a sliver of noodles pinned down. The normal sprite lifted it to his mouth.

He took a bite.

It neither tasted good nor bad. Nonetheless, he liked it.

_"Is it good, Emolga?" _Tesla asked.

Cabot's Emolga realized Tesla was talking to him, he nodded, _"Yes, it is good."_

_ "How long was it since you ate anything besides MRE's?"_

_ "A long time."_

Tesla patted him on the back, _"Take care, buddy. I gotta go take care of something for Nobark, will you keep these fine ladies company in the meantime?"_

The four girls giggled, Cabot's Emolga blushed. He said, _"Uh, sure. I'll keep them company, whatever you mean by company."_

_ "No funny business okay?"_

_ "Funny business?"_

Tesla raised an eyebrow and stared at him for a moment. Then said, _"Nevermind about that last part. Just keep them company, Emolga. I'll come back later."_

_ "Okay, Tesla."_

**. . .**

Wotter stared at the ceiling, clutching a half-eaten MRE in his hand. There were moments where he would zone out like this, but this one was longer than it should. He was bored, really bored. Too early for beer, he didn't wish to get drunk just yet. Things were going to get busy in the next several days, he knew Nobark would need him for most of it. Wotter wasn't complaining or anything, but he never had anyone tell him to do so much work in a short period of time. He felt helpless, no control over the situation. It didn't felt good, the chemical imbalance from the stress need something to return to equilibrium. Self-pleasure won't do this time, nor will food, or beer. They were not enough. He needed something with more . . . kick. Wotter sighed, he poured the rest of the MRE's contents into his mouth and tossed it into his trash can, which was now getting ready to spill.

His thoughts turned to that Panpour, the sh*tdick he had to get rid of days ago. A part of him wished to keep her for a few days longer, but she was stinking up the place, and the risk of discovery was too great. Ugh, what a mess she made. It took roughly an hour to clean it all up. Thankfully the trash stains were a good cover, practically the entire floor in the bunker was soaped and swabbed. Wotter had to dump out bucket loads of gray water into the trench, the cleanup made him smell like beer and feces.

He never felt this pissed off since the day he met Smugleaf.

And yet he never felt this bored since Nobark founded the PRA.

Wotter swung his legs over the edge of the bed and got up. He walked down the hall, passed Smugleaf's room for the millionth time, and stepped out of the bunker. The sky above was choked with clouds, bulging with rain. It wasn't going to be a pleasant day. Wotter scanned Fort Wernher, the PRA was crowding around campfires, eating breakfast and casually chatting. Some were laughing, some were giggling. Spirits looked bright today despite the weather.

Just before Wotter set a foot out the door, he spotted something in the distance. He squinted. Smugleaf sat by Nobark in the middle of the fire pit cluster. Her arm was in a cast. Wotter raised an eyebrow. How Smugleaf broke her arm? Heck, what was even happening while he was in his bedroom?

No matter, it was an opportunity. With Smugleaf disabled, no one was protecting that pink little sh*t. She was easy prey. Wotter discreetly stepped back inside and shut the door.

Then turned around and opened Smugleaf's bedroom.

There she was, sleeping peacefully on Smugleaf's bed. She was faced down, snoring, while clutching the comforter in her arms. The walls were solid reinforced concrete, no scream was ever going to make it through those walls for anyone to hear. But Wotter wasn't taking any chances, so he simply walked up to the pink Oshawott and clasped a hand over her mouth.

The Sea Otter Pokémon burst awake, her eyes bulging with horror.

Wotter said, _"You struggle, I'll break your legs. You scream, I'll strangle you. You bite, I'll break your jaw. You understand every part of what I said?"_

The pink Oshawott whimpered and nodded. Sh*tdicks. Always docile, always loyal. She wouldn't struggle, or scream, or bite in a vicious manner. She would open herself up for him and not make a peep. Of course, she was going to tell. Not today, not tomorrow, but she would tell. Wotter wasn't stupid. He knew he may only have one chance with her, so he better live every moment of it. Wotter scooped her up with both arms and pressed her to his chest. Her body shivered underneath her skin. Wotter smirked, docile and compliant, like a lot of Pokémon in the PRA. The Discipline Pokémon carried her back to his room, locked the door, and sat her on his bed. Her eyes were tearing up. Those eyes, damn, it made her look cuter. A lot of Pokémon had big marble eyes that were glossy and shiny. Everybody loved those kinds of eyes, almost to a point they had some weird fetish over it. Wotter kept his own marble eyes when he evolved. He couldn't gloss them up like he used to. Not on demand at least. He stared down at the pink Oshawott's own eyes, they seemed to be getting bigger by the second.

There were a lot of things he could do. He had all day. With that storm coming in, any sort of activity was going to be placed on hold. Wotter knew the pattern, he had seen it many times. However that doesn't mean the PRA won't call for his assistance. He better do the main thing to her first, and fast.

Wotter grasped her by the shoulders, she whimpered under her breath as he forced himself upon her.

**. . .**

Tesla stepped into his bedroom and unzipped Mark's backpack. He took out the .22 Ruger and cleaned it, then he grabbed an empty magazine and loaded it with bullets. The old Pikachu checked the magazine, dry-fired the .22 pistol, fiddled with the safety and hammer. It was in working order. Satisfied, Tesla fished out the silencer out of Mark's backpack and screwed it on the barrel, adjust it for balance, and checked the sights. His tiny hands grasped the grip, two fingers wrapped tight around the trigger. Tesla dry-fired it a second time. Still working. Still satisfied. The Mouse Pokémon grabbed the magazine and slipped it into the gun, then cocked it.

For as long as Tesla had remembered, guns were influential in his life. Guns killed his friends, guns killed his enemies, guns tried to kill him, and guns destroy anything they hit. Tesla preferred using firearms against Pokémon rather than his own electricity. It takes a lot of energy to summon a Thunderbolt, Tesla gets tired after four or five energy bursts. He wasn't young any more, and he wasn't Pokémon battling neither. He had enough of that. If Nobark wanted him to get his hands dirty, then he was going to unleash whatever brutality he could muster on these Team Rocket Pokémon. The Pokémon Resistance Army, nor the Westinghouse Army, had no love for Team Rocket, despite Irvin's affiliation with the organization. Team Rocket took his parents and siblings, killed his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and mutilated those who survived. A lot of bad history, censored by the world government. The world would never know.

_Not a problem, _Tesla thought. _It's my world anyway._

Tesla carried the gun with him as he left the command bunker. He kept the barrel cocked toward the sky as he walked through Fort Wernher. PRA members glanced at him, then quickly advert their eyes when they saw the gun. Conversations and laughter died down to a faint whisper. They knew something was up. Of course, Nobark didn't tell them about the capture. It was a recent development, maybe it was secret. If it wasn't, then nobody was speaking of it. Tesla looked up at the sky and saw Swoo III flying above. He looked down on him with his silly smile, oblivious to the gun.

When Tesla approached Nobark, the Hoodlum Pokémon was busy talking to Smugleaf while they ate breakfast. The old Pikachu approached them, their heads turned to him. Nobark stared at him with both his good and cloudy eye, Tesla stared back. The old Pikachu kept the gun tight in his hand. For a moment, Tesla thought about shooting Nobark outright. Right there, in the head. Done deal. But there was problems with that. The .22-caliber was a small round. There was no chance the bullet would penetrate Nobark's skull, his head was too thick, even his temples were thick. Shooting him in the eye wouldn't do, even if the bullet could travel through the optic nerve and lodge into his temporal lobe, it wouldn't kill him, not outright at least. His final days would be filled with grief, blood, rampant infections, and hallucinations. The medulla must be destroyed for a quick and painless kill. But Nobark was facing toward him, not away.

Tesla shoved the thought out of his mind, then said, "On your feet, Nobark."

Nobark said nothing, he just sat there and continued to stare at him.

"What, you're legs fell asleep or something? Up, boy."

Nobark nodded, then climbed up to his feet.

"Time to deal with those Team Rocket Pokémon," said Tesla. "Find Woody and tell him to find a cord of rope and a fresh roll of duct tape, you will personally restrain the Pokémon while Woody strap the bonds on them. Then you're going to watch me handle with them. Are we clear?"

"Yes," said Nobark. "Loud and clear."

Thunder boomed in the distance. It was faint, nothing more than a snap and crackle. "Hop to it, Nobark," said Tesla. "Smugleaf, you help Nobark handle those Pokémon."

Smugleaf began to say, "My ar-"

Tesla cut her off, "I broke every bone in my body and bore a lot of pain, yet I still get up in the morning and do my chores and errands. Besides, you have vines. Use them."

Smugleaf blinked. She nodded, but said nothing.

Nobark took Smugleaf with him to the warehouse, Tesla headed straight for the Pokémon jail. He sat at the front door of the jail and stared out into the increasingly darkening sky, then waited for them.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	29. Chapter 29

_Chapter 29_

Nobark asked Woody to find a cord of rope and duct tape. It didn't take him long, he brought out at least 15 meters of rope and a fresh roll of duct tape. Nobark, Smugleaf, and Woody then walked to the Pokémon jail where Tesla was waiting. The old Pikachu sat in front of the door and watched them approach, he then got up and followed them inside. They passed by the cells containing Ash's Pokémon and the captured Audino. They were silent, no screams or crying, either the walls were too thick for sound or they were silent altogether.

Tesla stopped in front of one particular door, he pulled off the side bar and opened it. Inside was the plastic garbage bag containing OJ Stanton's three Poké balls. Nobark took the Poké balls and enlarged them, he fiddled with them for a moment, then tossed them. All three Poké balls burst open instantaneously. A Minchino, a Pansage, and a Patrat. All three Pokémon stumbled back, theirs eyes wide with shock. Smugleaf uncoiled her vines and whipped them across the shins in one fast swoop, Stanton's Pokémon fell on their faces. Nobark began beating them, kicking their stomachs and kidneys until he was sure they wouldn't resist, then Woody moved in and duct taped their hands and feet. Now they were getting angry. To Nobark it wasn't unusual. He had seen a lot of Pokémon with hot tempers, but not this kind of temper. It sounded like bitter hatred, fueled and festered with years of abuse. Pokémon tend to take up the personality of their trainer. This suggested that these Pokémon were Team Rocket members, as they were conditioned to hate other Pokémon.

When Woody finished wrapping their bonds, the Pansage and Minchino started hissing swear words and tried to bite his ankles. Biting is a sign that these Pokémon didn't know what aggression is. The natural tendency to bite occurs when the Pokémon feels threatened. They will attack anyone or anything being a threat to their safety, which are usually other Pokémon and sometimes people. Nobark decided to gag them with more duct tape, so he ordered Woody to seal their mouths shut.

That made them angrier and resistive. They fought against their bonds, trying to break free. Nobark and Woody simply picked up the Pansage and Patrat while Smugleaf picked up the Minchino with her vines. They kicked and squirmed and grunted. No use, they weren't getting out. Nobark led everyone to the interrogation room in question. It had the original table, still anchored to the floor with heavy lag screws. The walls were made of white rubber tiles, while the floor was a single sheet of stainless steel. At the far wall was a one-way mirror, which contained the observation room on the other side. Nobark, Woody, and Smugleaf simply dumped Stanton's Pokémon at a corner opposite of the one-way mirror. They roared muffled screams, their bodies wiggling violently like decapitated worms.

As Smugleaf and Woody headed to the observation room, Tesla and Nobark stepped out into the hall. "You need anything else, Tesla?" Nobark asked.

"Yeah," said Tesla. "Get me two buckets of water and some sponges, and some metal folding chairs. Also a pair of alligator clips, a car battery, and a CFL light bulb."

Nobark nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Once you get the stuff, leave it outside the door. Right now those Pokémon are too worked up to be interrogated, we'll let them sit and cool for a moment, then we'll get to work."

**. . .**

They didn't have to wait long. Stanton's Pokémon reduced from bitter rage to grumpy rumbling, then quieted down. Tesla stared at them through the one-way window in the observation room. They weren't talking much. The Patrat, Pansage, and Minchino would occasionally glance at each other, then looked away. No sign of friendship or affection. Team Rocket could do that to Pokémon. Strip them from who they were, deny them love. No chance of a Pokémon recovering one hundred percent from such experience, and some never recovered at all. Tesla knew this because he had seen it. He knew what he was dealing with. He could tell if a Pokémon could be saved or damned. So far he saw no sign of them being saved. Team Rocket done them in. The damage was done. These Pokémon had so far hadn't begged for mercy, nor were they giving each other hope. They could not be saved.

Which would save a lot of effort for Tesla in the interrogation.

He kept the .22 pistol clamped in his hand. Tesla wasn't sure if it would fire. Maybe it will, maybe it won't. If that failed, then he could always use his electricity.

Smugleaf and Woody stood by and watched the Team Rocket Pokémon bicker to each other. Woody showed not much reaction, though Smugleaf appeared to have a lot on her mind. The Grass Snake Pokémon kept shifting her weight on one foot to the other, while keeping her braced arm closed to her chest. Her eyes transfixed to the Pokémon, like she was expecting some major reaction or something. No one said a word, since there was nothing to talk about. Tesla thought about making conversation, but went against it. Smugleaf wasn't in the talking mood. No way was she considering talking to him. It was amazing she was even standing near him at all. Tesla glanced at her, she sensed his attention and shivered. She squeezed her eyes shut, silently whimpering, maybe getting ready to cry. The old Pikachu glanced at Woody, he was stuck in his death stare, his brain tuned out to reality.

Tesla reached up to Smugleaf and sat her hand against her shoulder. He gave her a small jolt of electricity. She took a deep breath and exhaled. Her eyelid grew heavy, her broken arm dropping into its sling, her good arm flopping down to her side.

A smile stretched across her face. Tesla wasn't sure if there was any emotion behind it, maybe it was the familiar feeling she used to felt on a daily business, returning to reestablish itself.

Tesla wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Smugleaf didn't struggle, she was passive and relaxed as can be.

"I'm sorry I was harsh on you, yesterday," he whispered into her ear. Tesla glanced up to see if Woody was watching, he wasn't. "I didn't mean to break your arm, I just didn't want you touching my friends in the wrong places."

Smugleaf said nothing.

"When I'm done with Stanton's Pokémon, they're all yours. Do whatever you want to them. If you have any urges, and I'm sure you do, you could take it upon them as much as you like."

Smugleaf said nothing.

"Remember, I have nothing personally against you. I wish things would be different, but Nobark had pushed me over the edge. I had done similar things to what I done to you to my longtime friends, including Nobark, mainly because I don't want to be pestered with."

Smugleaf took a deep breath and sighed.

"Mark's Emolga told me about your relationship before I broke your arm, so that was why I was a little pissed. You shouldn't have kept it a secret, I wouldn't have done what I did if I knew early on."

Smugleaf held her head up and whispered into Tesla's ear, her tongue barely flaking his ear canal as she asked, "How can I guarantee my personal safety if I tell you what you need to know?"

Now that was a good question. He had beaten up Cabot's Emolga in trying to figure out what happened to Volta. It was unprovoked, unnecessary. Tesla could have taken a more subtle approach. Instead, he blundered straight to the point and used force to beat the answer out of him. Amazing the normal sprite forgave him at all. Tesla pressed Smugleaf's head against his chest, then doubled the voltage.

She couldn't help but moan.

Which caught Woody's attention.

The Muscular Pokémon turned to Tesla and Smugleaf, then looked down. He chuckled for a second, then broke out laughing. Smugleaf looked up, surprised.

Tesla walked up to him and patted his back. _"Easy, Woody," _he said. _"No need to get worked up over it._

_ "What were you doing to her?" _he chuckled.

_"Well, she was bored. What do you expect?"_

_ "Damn, Tesla."_

Smugleaf sat up and blinked, then looked down. "I'm going to need some paper towels," she said.

_"A lot more than paper towels," _laughed Woody.

Tesla punched him in the arm with a jolt of electricity. Woody yelped and stumbled into the wall, _"Woody,"_ said Tesla. _"Don't rub it in, Smugleaf has been through enough."_

Woody nursed his bicep and nodded, but said nothing.

The door opened and Nobark stuck his head into the room. "I got the things you need, Tesla."

Tesla glanced back at Smugleaf, she looked away. The old Pikachu then left the room and closed the door behind her. Nobark waved a hand at the things. Three metal chairs, painted olive green, partially flaked and rusted. The buckets were in a much worst shape. They were more rusted than iron, battered and abused with age. Tesla peaked into one of the pales, the water was brown, smelling like it came from a stagnant swamp.

"Where did you get this water?" Tesla asked.

"The trench around the base, near the back."

"That explains it."

Tesla turned to Nobark. "Get into the observation room and don't interfere. When I'm done, let Smugleaf handle them and only Smugleaf. Now before I begin, what do you want from them exactly?"

"They have picked up some bits and bobs from their trainer on what he does. Yes, I know, we should have brought in the trainer. But the Pokémon are easier to handle, they weren't conditioned to not speak about classified intel. You don't have to work hard on them to get what we need."

Tesla stared at him.

"What?"

"You seem confident about this, Nobark. Even though the chance of getting irrelevant information out of them is high."

"Well, I miss your discipline. I just don't know what's wrong with me, Tesla. I just can't seem to stand on my own two feet without you holding me up."

Tesla glanced at Nobark's left hand, it was deathly still. The Hoodlum Pokémon was still stable, for now.

"You ever wondered if the others are still around?" Tesla asked.

"It's been years," said Nobark. "I'm not sure if they're even still alive."

"Nobark, they're not that old as us."

"Med's like, what, my age? Maybe older?"

"I think she's in her fifties now."

Nobark raised an eyebrow, "You know when her birthday is?"

"I don't know, I forgot."

Tesla and Nobark stood there for a moment. "I better get started," said Tesla. "I don't want to keep Stanton's Pokémon waiting."

"Do your best, Tesla," said Nobark.

Nobark stepped into the observatory room and closed the door behind him. Tesla turned back to the water buckets and sighed. The last time he had electrocuted a person with the electric chair was fifty years ago. Somehow Irvin filled out an application and did a lot of backroom deals to get Tesla the job. The process was always a same. The death row inmate was placed in a pool of water in a metal chair, strapped in with leather belts. A wet sponge was placed firmly on his head, held down with a metal helmet. The only difference from a normal electrocution was there was no switch to pull. Why would there be if the chair was hooked up to a Pokémon? The first few electrocutions were crude. Too much amperage, too little voltage. The death row inmates would experience excruciating pain, then their heads would catch fire while their insides burst out their face and rectum. One time a guy exploded and the janitors had to pressure spray him off the wall, and that was no fun. The later executions were easier, the amperage and voltage just about right. What was strange was the death row inmates would die with unusual facial expressions. Happy, sad, angry, and every one died with their eyes open. Regardless, all of the electrocuted inmates had closed casket funerals so Tesla didn't have to worry about mucking up their appearances.

Tesla had never electrocuted a Pokémon this way. Sure, he had fried a lot of them in the past, but never like this. He wasn't planning on electrocuting Stanton's Pokémon, but he had thoughts of dangling that possibility in front of their faces. If he were to go on with it, it was going to be difficult. While all humans are the same, all Pokémon are different. Some more vulnerable to electricity than others, some more resistant, some invulnerable entirely. Luckily these Pokémon weren't ground-types. Then again, with water, being a ground-type wouldn't do much good. Electricity conducts easier in water.

He collected the chairs and held them over his head, then stepped into the interrogation room.

Stanton's Pokémon took notice immediately. They broke into bitter rage instantly. They huffed and they puffed and they hissed and spat. Oh boy they were pissed. Ironically they weren't the kind one would expect to find intense hostility, but it wasn't ironic in Tesla's experience.

_"Let us go!" _the Pansage screamed, tossing and turning in his bonds.

Tesla ignored him, he sat his gun on the table and calmly unfolded the chairs and propped them up against the side wall, then retrieved the buckets. Tesla checked to see if the one-way mirror was in the chairs' direct line of sight. It was. Nobark and his buddies would have no problem seeing the entire show unfold.

The old Pikachu had to take some caution with the hostile Pokémon. All Pokémon bites, so to avoid getting chomped, he had to spin each Pokémon around and bear hug them from the back. They squirmed and kicked as he each plopped them in a chair. The Patrat was slightly bigger than the Pansage and Minchino. Even with the bonds, the Scout Pokémon gave more resistance. When Tesla sat him in the chair, he squirmed and fell off, so Tesla sucker punched him in the solar plexus, twice. The Patrat stopped resisting and gasped for air, Tesla plopped him on the chair and he stayed on.

The Mouse Pokémon grabbed one of the water buckets, then walked up to Stanton's Pokémon. He pulled the bucket back, then tossed the water at them. They were instantly drenched, a puddle formed underneath them. They coughed and spat, blinking feverishly.

_"Hey!" _Minchino hissed.

Tesla sat the bucket aside and grabbed the other one. He poured a path to two of the table legs, then dumped some water on them. He then sat bucket aside and leaped up on the table, Tesla collected the gun and sat on the edge facing toward Stanton's Pokémon.

The room descended to silence. All three Pokémon glared at him. Tesla merely stared back. He squeezed the .22 pistol's grip, his fingers tight on the trigger. Two minutes passed, no one spoke. Tesla just casually swing his legs over the edge of the table, stretching the silence to a third minute.

On the fourth, he spoke, _"We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. Which will it be?"_

Stanton's Pokémon said nothing.

The room went silent for another minute, Tesla said, _"What will it be, guys? We have all day."_

_ "F*ck you!" _hissed the Pansage.

Tesla smiled, _"You kiss your mother with that mouth?"_

The Pansage said nothing.

_"Oh, so that's how it is. If I guess correctly, you three used to have families before you got caught by your trainer. Or was it Team Rocket who thrown you in a cage? Which is it, guys?"_

No response.

_"Neither?"_

Still no response.

_"You must be on good terms with them then, I suppose you three lived like kings while helpless Pokémon are tortured around you."_

_ "That ain't true!" _barked the Patrat.

_"Then what is? Tell me guys, why was your trainer here in Unova? Surely he told you something."_

The Minchino shook his head. _"He didn't, why should he tell us?"_

_ Finally we got something, _Tesla thought. Then he said, _"Cause you are his minions. You were trained to obey, not to ask questions. I guess feedback wasn't a major player in your relationship with OJ."_

Stanton's Pokémon said nothing. They didn't flinch or blink. They just gave him a death stare, as if they were waiting to be released. Tesla simply got off the table and stepped out of the room, then knocked on the observation room door. Nobark answered, "You still have Stanton's passport and communicator?" Tesla asked.

Nobark reached into his pouch and pulled out both the communicator and passport. He handed them to Tesla and shut the door. The old Pikachu walked back into the interrogation room, got up on the table, and held up the passport and communicator for Stanton's Pokémon to see. _"These were on your trainer when we found you guys."_

Again, nothing.

_"Had you seen OJ speak into this communicator?"_

The Minccino nodded, the Pansage and Patrat simply stared.

_"What does he usually say into it?"_

The Minccino shrugged, _"Just updates back to his HQ, wherever that is."_

Tesla turned to the Chinchilla Pokémon. _"So you never been to Team Rocket HQ?"_

_ "No, we never even left the region."_

_ "Shut up, Minccino," _hissed the Patrat. _"Don't tell him that!"_

Tesla asked, _"Your friends are ever nice to you?"_

The Minccino turned away, saying nothing.

So he got something out of the Minccino and his _friends _weren't too happy about it. That told Tesla a lot. Not only were they hostile to him, they were hostile to each other. Whatever temper the Minccino had had cooled off. He could exploit that weakness, but the Minccino didn't look like he was going to say more. Tesla wasn't surprised. The Minccino was just a lap dog, not an alpha male. The old Pikachu simply stood up and walked back and forth around the table. The Pansage and Patrat kept their eyes glued to him, they watched him go back and forth as he processed what happened so far. These Pokémon didn't understand the situation they were in. Maybe they were in denial, but so far Tesla could tell they were well down to earth. He wasn't sure how long Stanton had them, but he could see some Pokémon training elements in their eyes. Maybe they were expecting some dramatic Pokémon battle in the next few hours or days. Probably they were thinking to themselves that they could break through whatever bonds thrown against them. Despite the hostility to the Minccino, all three planned to break out together in some dramatic prison escape. Even though they didn't like each other, didn't mean they weren't buddies.

So if that was the case, Tesla would need to break that notion.

He turned to Stanton's Pokémon and asked for a final time, _"So we can either do this the easy way, or the hard way. Tell me what I need to know, and I will let you guys walk out of here together. You heard your trainer spoke into his communicator, right? Did he mention any plans that Team Rocket had in store in the area?"_

Again, no response.

_"Last chance guys."_

Nothing. The Minccino kept his head turned away, the Pansage and Patrat kept giving him the death stare.

Tesla simply turned away and walked toward the door.

Then without warning he spun around, raised the .22 pistol, and squeezed the trigger.

The silenced pistol spat out a .22 round, nothing more than a loud _click _in the room. It struck the Patrat in the knee, he broke into a bloodcurdling scream. The Pansage's eyes shot open, the Minccino screamed. Tesla stamped his foot on the metal table and charged it. Electricity traveled down the legs, through the water, and ran a circuit through all three Pokémon. They lit up in a purple neon lightshow, they struggled to scream but the supercharged electricity seized up their nervous systems.

Tesla pulled his foot up, stopping the current.

Stanton's Pokémon craned their necks, gasping for air. They twist and turn in their bonds, struggling to break free. After a minute, they gave up and glared at Tesla. The old Pikachu barked in human speech. "Do you think I am fooling around here!?"

Human speech, the most authorative language on the planet. All three Pokémon snapped into attention, their eyes bulging with terror. The bullet wound in the Patrat's leg bled, dripping blood to the floor. It mixed with the pool of water, diffusing in a cloud of crimson red.

"This is not a game anymore, you little sh*ts! This is the PRA! There's not going to be any Pokémon battle, just war and carnage! No one is going to help you, period! Your trainer doesn't know where you are! He's not going to come in to save the day, he'll be shot dead before he set a foot into this base," Tesla raised the pistol. "Come on, test me! See how my patience would run! If you don't tell me whatever information you picked up from your trainer, I'll blow your kneecaps off like I did to your buddy here!"

Stanton's Pokémon said nothing.

Tesla aimed at the Patrat's other knee and fired another round. A click, followed by a puff of red mist, led to another bloodcurdling scream. Tesla held up his index finger, bright purple light flashed as electricity arched through the air and grounded into the Patrat. The Scout Pokémon choked and went silent.

"Four more knees to go," Tesla warned. "This time I'll randomize."

That broke the spell. The Minccino pleaded, _"No no, please! I beg you!"_

_ "We don't know much from OJ," _the Pansage broke. _"Uh, he barely took us out of our Poké balls. We've been only captured for about a month, we don't know much about him!"_

"Then why the asshole attitude?" Tesla asked. "How could you grew so much hatred to yourselves and to your trainer that fast?"

The Grass Monkey Pokémon said nothing.

Tesla pulled the .22 pistol's hammer back, the Pansage's pupils shrunk.

The Patrat held up its head and blurted, _"He talked about a crate, or a shipment or something. That's what he had said several nights ago! Guns, or lasers, or something!"_

Tesla centered the pistol at the Patrat. "Go on."

_"At night, he gives a daily report into that communicator about something. I don't know what it is, all I know it has to do about a special crate or something."_

"A crate?" Tesla asked.

_"Yeah." _

"Any clue where?"

_"Somewhere near north of Springfield, not too far from a river!"_

Tesla stared at him, the Patrat simply shook his head and begged, _"Please, let us go! We didn't do anything wrong! This is about OJ, not us! We don't know sh*t!"_

"But you just said about a crate, and that is something. Is there something you're not telling me?"

The Patrat glanced at him a final time, then broke down crying. Tesla got down from the table grabbed the Patrat by the fur of his collarbone, and pulled him off the chair. The Scout Pokémon tumbled and curled to the fetal position. Tesla then grabbed him by the ear and pressed the gun to the back of his head. "I'm not the one you should be pleading your life to, I didn't made the decision to bring you here."

The Scout Pokémon sobbed, _"Please, don't kill me!"_

"I'd been in your position before, I had bullet holes in me and I was begging for mercy. The last time I begged for mercy, I got sucker punched so hard that I coughed out blood. Do you even know what you're dealing with here?"

_"No."_

"There are a lot of factions out there who wanted things we all want. Money, Pokémon, a lavish lifestyle. Most of them are humans, both good and evil, all wanting a slice of the pie. You ever dreamed of a better life?"

_"Not really," _said the Patrat. _"I never gave it much thought."_

Tesla pulled the gun away and stepped back. "Karma's a b*tch," he said. "You better hope you know what side you're on, as Nobark will decide your fate."

The old Pikachu started walking to the door, then the Pansage asked, _"Wait, what's going to happen to us!?"_

"How do I know?" said Tesla. "I don't run the Pokémon Resistance Army."

Tesla stepped out of the interrogation room and opened the door to the observation room. Nobark, Woody, and Smugleaf just stood there, staring at him. Tesla turned to Nobark and said, "They talked about a crate of weapons or something, between Springfield and a nearby river. That's all I could get out of them."

Nobark nodded. "Okay, that would do for now. Good work."

Tesla turned to Smugleaf, "They're all yours, Smugleaf. Do whatever you want with them, just be sure to clean up when you're done."

"Thanks, Tesla," said Smugleaf.

Tesla stepped out of the observation room and walked down the corridor. The iron doors of the Pokémon cells towered over him, containing Ash's Pokémon and his friend's Pokémon. It was silent, either they were quiet or the walls muffled their cries, assuming they were indeed crying. Tesla sighed, none of Nobark's actions made sense. Tesla had agreed he would do work for Nobark when he first got here, yet he kidnapped Ash and his friends to make sure he was complying. Next he had Tesla capture some Team Rocket Pokémon for information, but _not _the trainer himself. Clearly Stanton's Pokémon knew something, but obviously they didn't know much more. Smugleaf might find out, she uses seduction rather than intimidation.

The old Pikachu stepped out of the Pokémon jail and looked up at the sky. It was gray, much darker than before. A green tint was forming and the clouds were puffy. A storm was rolling in from the sea, a big one, probably covering half of Unova. Tesla had seen storms like this before. It was rooted in his family's culture. They would dance and sing their hearts out, sometimes feeding the storm with electricity. The lightshows were spectacular, even though they would cause seizures. Tesla glanced at the barracks. Pokémon were getting up from breakfast and running back to the barracks. The PRA weren't stupid. All Pokémon had built-in barometers to tell the weather, which were compressed from last night's high humidity, where it gave them enough warning for the approaching storm.

Thunder grumbled in the distance, not a good sign. The wind and rain would come soon, it would be like the entire power of a tropical storm concentrated to the size of a small city. It would be chaos and confusion everywhere.

Then a light bulb went off in Tesla's head.

The Swoobats would be caught in the crosshairs of heavy wind and rain. Their wings weren't designed to be aerodynamic, they were going to get thrashed around by the winds. Had they experienced a storm before, he wasn't sure, but it is safe to assume they had. The Swoobats had been here for fifteen years, no doubt plenty of storms had rolled in with a similar power. Just where would they take shelter was anyone's guess.

Tesla ran on all fours to the barracks, he found Scout laying on a cot, daydreaming. The rest of the PRA chattered among themselves, worried about the impending storm. Either they had a fear of storms, or they hadn't experienced one with a high magnitude before. Tesla rushed up to Scout and shook his arm, the Patrat stirred and turned to him. _"What's wrong, Tesla?"_

_ "I need you to find any stray Pokémon in and around Fort Wernher," _said Tesla. _"There's a storm coming and it's going to be big, we can't let anyone get caught out in the open."_

Scout nodded. _"Okay."_

_ "If the wind starts blowing or the rain starts falling, you get back to the barracks and keep everyone calm. And keep that door closed, no matter what."_

_ "Yes, sir."_

Tesla ran back outside toward the Pokémon jail. He saw Nobark casually walking out of the jail, along with Woody. He rushed up to them and said, "There's a storm coming, Nobark. A big one."

Nobark blinked and looked up at the sky. "Tornado season already?"

_"Looks like it," _said Woody.

Tesla said, "Nobark, get Smugleaf and take her to the command bunker. Woody, make sure everything is tied down or put away. Can you shut off the power to individual buildings?"

_"Yes," _said Woody. _"Every building has their own circuit breaker as well."_

"Go into all the buildings not being used and shut off their main switch. We can't have an electrical hazard if the fort gets flooded." Then Tesla said in Pokémon speech, _"Move, you guys. We don't have much time!"_

Nobark and Woody nodded, then ran off to do their tasks. Tesla then ran to the command bunker, he wanted to make sure Mark's Pokémon were safe.

**. . .**

Wotter lay on his bed, panting hard. Bubbles softly whimpered beside him. Her fur was covered in sweat. Either it was hers or his, Wotter wasn't sure. He never spent so much energy in one sitting before. The Discipline Pokémon had bit, licked, squeezed, and penetrated whatever place he could find on Bubbles's body. She was disoriented, deep within a mixture of fear and forbidden pleasure. Wotter wanted to keep going, but he would have to wait for a while for another moment.

But there wasn't going to be another moment.

So Wotter sat up and scooped up Bubbles. She didn't swat or fight back, she was too stoned to react. He held her up to eye level, slowly Bubbles managed to opened her eyes. They were just about dried out, not much tears left to shed. _"You did good," _he told her. _"For a sh*tdick."_

Bubbles said nothing, she just stared at him in silence.

Wotter wrapped his mouth around hers and kissed her hard. She unconsciously wrapped her arms around her neck, like she was hugging him. Wotter released and sat her beside him, then pulled over them. _"A lot better than Smugleaf, I presume?"_

Bubbles said nothing.

_"Yes? No?"_

No response.

_"I guess it's a maybe?"_

Nothing.

_"Fine, suit yourself."_

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	30. Chapter 30

_Chapter 30_

The rain eventually started falling thirty minutes later. Big heavy drops came down in a trickle, then turning into a shower within seconds. A few Pokémon came out and looked up at the sky, struck at awe over the rain. They stuck out their tongues and held out their hands to catch the big drops. The spell broke when a hailstone the size of a golf ball smacked one Pokémon in the cheek. More hailstones fall. Scout rounded up all the Pokémon he could find and escorted them to the barracks, then locked the door behind him.

Nobark ran back to the Pokémon jail and ordered Smugleaf to head to the command bunker. She wasn't happy about it, but she didn't argue. The Grass Snake Pokémon could hear the hailstones peppering the thick concrete roof. Smugleaf threw Stanton's Pokémon into separate cells. She didn't bother bandaging the Patrat's knees, there was no time. Just when Smugleaf and Nobark stepped outside, the hailstorm had picked up. The hail fell like machine gun fire, impacting the ground with thick thuds. Everywhere they turned, the two saw ice balls covering the ground. A few stray Pokémon caught in the open covered their heads, running for whatever cover they could find. Smugleaf turned to Nobark with a worried look. The Hoodlum Pokémon stared at the hail, thought for a moment, then came up with an idea. Before Smugleaf could ask what it was, Nobark scooped her up and pulled his pelt up to his neck, then ran out into the hailstorm. Hail bounced off his pelt as he hobbled toward the command bunker. Smugleaf cradled Nobark's chest for dear life as he pushed on. A big hailstone the size of a baseball crashed against Nobark's skull, exploding upon impact. The Hoodlum Pokémon stumbled, shook it off, then kept on running till he reached the command center. He threw the door open and slammed it behind him, then collapsed on the floor.

Woody knew which building was being used and which one wasn't. Rather than heading to each building and pulling their breakers, he ran to the warehouse to access the main circuit boxes. He pulled the circuits to each one. Hail pounded the warehouse's aluminum roof. It didn't sound like repeated banging, it sounded like a roar. Fearing the storm would try to get in, Woody killed the power to the warehouse. All the lights went dark. He grabbed his flashlight and looked over the rest of the circuit boards. Woody spotted the main breaker to the barracks, he pulled it. Then he pulled the breaker to the elite bunker.

**. . .**

Scout jumped when the lights went out, the conscripts screamed. He waved his hands and told everyone to keep calm. They just screamed and screamed and screamed. Scout got impatient, so he grabbed a nearby pistol and fired it over their heads. The thick concrete walls compressed the boom of the gunshot, the bullet smashed against the back wall and exploded, leaving a coin-sized crater in the concrete. Everyone went silent and turned to the Scout Pokémon.

_"Everyone shut your pieholes," _Scout barked, he pointed at the crater in the wall. _"See that bullet hole, hailstones and debris aren't strong enough to make a mark on the roof. We're going to be fine."_

Though there was that hole chipped into the wall, the storm was blasting through the tiny hole like a fire hose. It helped relieved the thick humidity in the bunker, but nothing more. Water started coming through it, a Pansear picked up a piece of cloth and stuffed it into the hole. The rag was soon soaked and water continued leaking through.

**. . .**

Wotter stared at the ceiling lights for a full minute, hoping it would turn back on. Sometimes the diesel generator would hiccup and kill the power for a minute or two. Woody said it was because of its age, or something having to do with the fuel they were using. Another second passed, still dark. A third, nothing. Wotter picked up Bubbles and cradled her in his arms. She didn't whimper or squealed, just said nothing. The Discipline Pokémon grabbed a flashlight and stepped out into the hall, carrying Bubbles tightly in one arm. He walked into the utility room and shined the line on the breaker box. The breakers were still in the on position, not a single one tripped. It was a blackout. Wotter shut the panel door and headed for the back door, he opened it ajar.

And saw a sheet of ice balls carpeting the grass outside.

Hailstones, ranging from the size from a golf ball to a baseball. Wotter stared at the hailstones for a moment. Bubbles shivered in his arm, sensing the danger outside. Suddenly he got an idea, he stuck the flashlight in his mouth and scooped up a single baseball-size hail and several golf ball sizes. He then shut the door and stepped back into his bedroom. He plopped Bubbles on the bed. Wotter held the light over her eyes, she squinted, struggling to see. She tossed and squirmed, struggling to shield her eyes.

Then Wotter took the baseball size hailstone and shoved it into her mouth.

**. . .**

Tesla came running out of the den and found Nobark and Smugleaf lying on the floor, Mark's Pokémon hobbled behind him and watched as the Hoodlum Pokémon got up. "Hail's falling," he said.

"Yeah," said Tesla. "I can see that, you're bleeding."

Nobark pressed a hand against his scalp, it was coated with a thick layer of blood. "I think it was a baseball-size hailstone, it hit me quite hard."

Tesla asked, "Please tell me you have a first aid kit somewhere around here."

Nobark said nothing.

"Damn it, Nobark," Tesla looked away for a moment, then asked, "Do you at least have a rag and a roll of duct tape."

"Yes, I do."

Smugleaf freed herself off of Nobark and walked to the den. Mark's Pokémon stepped aside and let her through. Nobark then led Tesla to his bedroom, there he grabbed a rag off the table and a roll of duct tape and handed it to him. Tesla used the rag and wiped up most of the blood off of Nobark as best he could, he asked Nobark to sit down where he got a good look at the gash. "How is it?" Nobark asked.

Tesla examined the gash. It didn't look too bad, the gash looked more like a bad scrape. He couldn't see any bone so that was a good sign. "Seems okay," the old Pikachu told Nobark. "After a few stitches it should be fine."

The Mouse Pokémon stuck the rag over the gash, then ripped out a sliver of duct tape and stuck it to Nobark's head. "There," said Tesla. "That should hold till we get you to the infirmary."

Nobark glanced at him and nodded. "Thank you, Tesla."

"No problem, bud."

Tesla and Nobark stepped out of the bedroom and walked back to the den. They found Mark's Pokémon sitting against the back couch. They sat there side by side, snuggled in blankets. Smugleaf was sitting on her own couch, staring up at the ceiling, nursing her braced arm. Nobark sat next to a couch arm while Tesla sat in the middle. For five minutes, nobody said a word. Tesla closed his eyes and held his breath. Interrogating a bunch Pokémon with no evidence of any wrong-doing didn't make much sense to him. Shooting the Patrat's kneecaps was a bit too much. No, _way _too much. That was cruel and unusual punishment. Kneecapping was an old torture method. A bullet through the kneecap is the most painful wound anyone can have without dying. It doesn't heal completely afterward. Even if the Patrat could move his knees, he would be in pain for the rest of his life. Tesla felt no shame nor guilt, simply nothing.

He then asked everyone, "Why do we do what we do?"

"What do you mean?" Nobark asked.

"You running the PRA, me bringing misery to Pokémon, Smugleaf playing with them for her own amusement. Is this natural, or are we psychopaths?"

"Good question," Nobark told the ceiling. "I've been sick since the day I was born and I have no idea what is causing it."

"I have no idea how I made it to see a hundred."

Nobark asked, "What did you do on your one hundredth birthday, Tesla?"

Tesla thought for a moment. "I dug into trash cans all day, looking for food. _The Faraday Times _made a blip about my birthday, but it didn't make to the front page. I didn't care, I was alone and wanted by the police. I spent the night hungry, exposed to the elements."

"I thought you were long gone."

"At times, I wished I was."

The room went silent. Tesla closed his eyes again and rest for a moment. He heard Mark's Pokémon adjusting themselves on their own couch, whispering a conversation to each other. Tesla couldn't make out what it was. They were slurring their words, and they weren't giving much effort to talk anyway. Tesla pictured the river Stanton's Pokémon talked about in his mind, then the space between it and Springfield. He couldn't figure out what was there, all he saw was trees.

Tesla opened his eyes and asked, "Nobark, what's between Springfield and this river?"

"Trees," he said. "And walking trails."

"If you were to hide something incriminating, what spot would you hide it in?"

"Near a rock," said Nobark. "Or a boulder. Has to be something that stands out only to me but not to anyone."

"How far from the walking trail?" Tesla asked.

"Far enough away that nobody would notice, but still in plain sight."

Tesla nodded. "Then that's what we'll look for. A boulder or a rock far enough from the trail to be oblivious, but still visible. If luck has it, Team Rocket psychology is still the same twenty or forty years ago."

The old Pikachu turned to Emolga. Her ears were peeking out of the covers, the blanket mound over her rising and falling steadily. Tesla got down from the couch and walked up to her, he hopped on her couch and lifted the covers. Emolga's white face shined underneath the florescent lights. She wasn't sleeping, her eyes were partially open, blankly staring out.

Her eyes looked up at Tesla, stared at him for a moment, then she breathed and looked.

Tesla said in Pokémon speech, _"You're sleeping there, Emolga?"_

_ "Not really," _she said.

_"Is there something wrong?"_

Emolga said nothing.

_"Emolga, what's wrong?"_

No response.

Tesla pulled the covers back over her head and turned back to his couch, then crawled back to his spot. "I figured she wasn't sleeping, Mark's Pokémon tend to lay around all day when things are going well."

"You know that for sure?" Nobark asked.

"Positive, the way Mark curls them up in his arms at night says otherwise."

Emolga sat up and threw the blanket off of her, she jumped off the couch and broke into a sprint. Tesla watched as Tesla leaped up beside him and flopped onto Smugleaf. She wrapped her arms around the Grass Snake Pokémon and buried her face into her chest. Emolga cried, she cried long and loud. Smugleaf's eyes shot open, at first she panicked until she saw who it us. The Grass Snake Pokémon blinked, as if she didn't know what to do. A part of Tesla wanted to rip Emolga off of her, but couldn't find the incentive to do it. Emolga was one of Smugleaf's oldest friends, they had been apart for so long.

Tesla said, "Smugleaf, you better not-"

_"Tesla,"_ said Emolga. She turned her head and looked at him, her eyes glazed with tears. _"It's alright."_

The old Pikachu said nothing. The Sky Squirrel Pokémon cradled Smugleaf and pressed her nose against her chest. She held onto her as if she was caught in a tornado, ready to blow away. The Grass Snake Pokémon wrapped her good arm around her shoulders, a tear trailed down her cheek. Tesla half-expected Smugleaf to choke Emolga, but that didn't happen. Instead Smugleaf cradled Emolga's head, then wrapped her legs around the Sky Squirrel's waist. Tesla was about grab her when Nobark touched his shoulder. He said, "If they want at it, let them. They knew each other longer than me, don't ruin their moment."

Nobark was right. Emolga and Smugleaf knew each other for a long time. Had they thought of the other occasionally, he wasn't sure. Tesla turned to Nobark and asked, "How long did you know?"

"I watched her take Mark's Pokémon to the human jail a few nights before, she wanted to build up trust with the Kissinger boy."

"How did it go?"

"Mark took it all in with a pinch of salt."

Tesla shrugged. "Figures."

Nobark asked, "You sure Mark would simply let Smugleaf into his life, after all this is over?"

"If he doesn't, I'll convince him otherwise."

"How?"

"My great-granddaughter will back me up. Mark's not an authoritarian, he will comply with his Pokémon regardless."

"What about Woody, Wotter, and Tendon?"

"I'm not too sure about Wotter and Tendon, they seem too hostile. Mark might like Woody though, they might have a lot in common."

"Can you get them a home?" Nobark asked.

"I could get Matt to reopen the Westinghouse farm, they could live there."

"Mark says the place was mothballed, and haunted by ghosts."

Tesla groaned, "An empty house filled with ghost, great. Is he going to tell me our dead friends crawled out of their graves and chased him?"

"He seemed serious about the ghost part, Tesla. Noise in the attic, gunshot outside. Maybe Irvin's ghost haunts the farm."

Tesla turned to Nobark. "Irvin's ghost isn't haunting the farm, Nobark. It's haunting both of us. Irvin's haunting us because we can't let go of him."

"Why?" Nobark asked.

"Cause we haven't fulfilled something in our lives."

The door burst open. Smugleaf and Emolga spilled to the floor, Mark's Pikachu and the Cheering Pokémon duo exploded under their blankets. Tesla saw Woody come running into the room. His fur was soaked to the bone, his face full of worry. _"Guys," _he cried. _"It's bad."_

"What happened?" Tesla asked.

_"The Swoobats are in trouble."_

Tesla and Nobark got up and followed Woody to the front door. The storm had picked up. The hail stopped falling, replaced by wind and rain. Tesla could see waves rippling through the grass, as the wind howled and whistled its ghostly breath. Visibility was shot, he couldn't see any bunkers besides the elite bunker and the human jail. Splintered wood and shrapnel were carried with the wind, they zipped by so fast they could be homing missiles speeding toward a target. A gust of wind blast through the door. Tesla, Nobark, and Woody slipped and fell on their backs. The old Pikachu scrambled to his feet and grabbed the door frame. The storm's wind ripped through his fur, trying to tear it off.

_"Where are they!?" _he hollered over the wind.

_"I don't know," _Woody cried. _"I heard their frantic SOS calls, but I don't know where!"_

Tesla tried stepping out of the command bunker, the storm knocked him back inside. He managed to hold his balance and braced himself on the door. _"How did you make it here anyway!?"_

_ "I flowed with the wind," _Woody screamed. _"The storm's blowing toward the command bunker, not aside from it!"_

Nobark cried, _"Don't go out there, Tesla! It's too dangerous!"_

Tesla shot a look at him and barked with human words, "I handled storms like this for forty years, I know what I'm dealing with," then he said, "Shut the door once I step out. If I'm not back within thirty minutes, don't come out looking for me! Got it!"

The Hoodlum Pokémon stared at him for a brief moment, then nodded. "Yes, Tesla!"

The Mouse Pokémon turned back outside and stepped out, the door to the command center shut behind him.

Almost instantly the storm shoved him back into the door, Tesla dropped to his side and covered his face. The wind pressed him against the door with a merciless fury. The Mouse Pokémon grabbed onto the grass with both hands and dug in with his toes, then pushed forward. His ears flapping viciously on his head, his lightning bolt tail suffering a similar beating. Tesla grunted and pulled himself against the wind. He had done this before, his mother taught him all those years ago to dig his fingers deep into the grass and crawl like he was climbing a ladder. The grass was, if at all, was barely cut. Tesla grabbed on to as much grass stems as possible and made his way forward. He had no destination in mind, just instincts, and his instincts told him to make his way to the elite bunker, which will serve as a checkpoint. A curtain of rain sprayed over him, instantly drenching him. Combined with the wind, the storm chilled him to the bone. Tesla never felt this cold in years, he was shivering like crazy.

Tesla put up mental barriers in his mind and forced out the chills, then pushed forward toward the elite bunker. The wind threatened to scoop him up and toss him around like a rag doll. He hold on, he must hold on. He couldn't afford to let go.

When he got to the bunker, Tesla crawled up to the facing with the wind and rest for a moment. He looked up, the storm whipped past him with a bright sheet of rain. He could make out a faint rainbow forming in the distance. It wasn't whole, just a quarter of a rainbow. It might look prettier without the rain, or a little larger. He couldn't tell if it was a good sign or not, but it was something. Tesla looked back toward the command bunker. He could see sheets of water pooling on its face, the storm spread out the water into a thick web, its arms touching the edges, where the water gets whipped back into the storm again. Tesla was amazed, he hadn't seen water do that before. The storm was more powerful than it looked.

Then he heard screaming.

Tesla perked his ears and listened through the haul of the wind. He recognized the screaming, it was one of the Swoobats. Which one, he couldn't tell. Not Swoo II, obviously. The old Pikachu stood up and tried to home in where the screaming was coming from. It was coming from behind the elite bunker, passed the fence. Tesla groaned. _This is going to make things harder, _he thought. To get to the Swoobats, he had to walk across the fence and pass the broken gate, then walk along the trench. The forest was safer than inside the base, as the trees broke up and diffuse the wind. However the wind is more unstable, there was no telling which direction the wind will blow.

The screaming got louder, time was running out.

Tesla walked around the elite bunker and faced the wind. The storm resumed battering him with rain and green leaves. The old Pikachu grabbed onto the grass and pulled himself along. This time he pushed faster. His goggles protected his eyes from the ferocity of the storm, but the lens were soaked. Tesla had to wipe his goggles constantly in order to see. But he could see nonetheless, not enough for fine detail but enough to recognize the world around him. Leaves and debris flied along the fence, they were caught within the spokes and knots of the fence, practically glued in place by the storm. Tesla pushed on, his arms and legs were strained and his body was numbed cold. He worried about catching pneumonia, or some other illness. An old Pikachu like him shouldn't be out here anyway. But Tesla needed to see this through, he wanted to make sure if the three other Swoobats were either incapacitated or otherwise.

The broken gate was still stuck open, violently rocking back and forth, like it was trying to break free. The grass gave way to mud. Tesla stopped at the edge, his mother had said to always avoid the mud during a storm. Mud was smooth with no handholds available. If it was waterlogged enough, it could trap victims, leaving them at the mercy of the storm. Getting stuck in mud was the last thing Tesla needed, he had to make it through the mud without touching it.

So he grabbed onto the fence and climbed onto the broken gate. The wind pressed his tail hard against the fence. Tesla hanged on, the added wind resistance made the gate more unstable. The old Pikachu took a deep breath and crawled toward the edge. Something crashed into the fence. Tesla jumped, he looked up and saw a branch had wedged itself into the gate. The leaves were still on, they look like maple or something. Tesla breathed, facing Pokémon was one thing, but the environment was another. Unlike Pokémon, who were predictable, Mother Nature was ruthlessly random. There was no telling when another branch like that would fly in, especially one with Tesla's name on it. The old Pikachu continued on, the wires of the fence digging hard into his hands and feet. He made it to the edge of the gate, then crawled down and pressed his feet on the ground. Tesla then climbed around the gate and faced the storm.

The old Pikachu saw something up ahead. A gust of wind appeared from the storm, carrying with it more rain than what was being poured on him. He had no time to react, Tesla jumped and covered his face. The gust of wind reminded Tesla of his Pokémon battles where his opponent would flap its wings and stir up a hurricane. This blast of wind scooped Tesla up and thrown him down the fence, he spun end over end until he rolled into the trench. Tesla flopped on his back and rolled a couple of times, then he came to a halt.

The screaming was closer now. Tesla could make out not one but two screams. Luckily the trench protected him from the wind, but he couldn't stay here. The old Pikachu crawled along the trench, the wind hauling from above. The hailstorm earlier wasn't a good sign, it means the storm had the capability to produce tornadoes. The Swoobats would surely get blown away into the next province if one cross through Fort Wernher. Yes, that would wipe out most of the Swoobat security team, but Tesla won't count on it. He rather do it himself than let Mother Nature handle them for him.

Tesla hugged the wall of the trench and climbed its face, the storm blasted against his face the moment he stuck his head out of the trench. The old Pikachu scurried into the forest. Sure enough the wind wasn't as powerful in the forest as it was in the open, but it was twice as dangerous. Large maple and oak trees could topple over. Widowmakers, they were called. In human society, the term originated from logging companies where big growths would crush a woodsman, most of the woodsmen were married, so when a fallen tree crushes a logger, his wife is widowed. Pikachu society was no different. Tesla had heard tales from his cousins were they had a loved one die from a Widowmaker. Ironically it was mostly the males, nine out of ten of them to be exact. Nobody knows why.

Tesla kept his head up, looking out for potential widowmakers. Most of the trees were leaning toward one side, Tesla steered around the opposite side out of paranoia. The screaming got louder, this time the screaming was clear enough where Tesla could start making out words. _"Help me," _cried a Swoobat. _"Somebody help me!"_

A sharp ping rang through Tesla's ears. A distress call, he realized. The old Pikachu followed the direction it came from. He found two Swoobats, stuck in a tree, clinging to each other for dear life. Both were soaked to the bone and shivering. They were losing strength by the minute, they couldn't hold on any longer.

Tesla raised his hands to his mouth and called out, _"Hey, guys! Can you hear me!?"_

Both Swoobats turned to him, their faces lit up with glee and hope. Looking closely, he could tell they were Swoo III and Swoo IV. They looked like a couple in a romantic novel. The Swoobats readjust their wings and hugged the trunk of the tree, if the storm wasn't happening they might as well start kissing.

_"Tesla," _cried Swoo III. _"Help!"_

Just when Tesla stepped forward, a piece of thick bark flied through the air. It crashed into the Swoobats, breaking itself apart. The Swoobats lost their grip and were blown away by the storm. They frantically flapped their wings, struggling to maintain control.

They didn't get far. Swoo IV smashed against an oak and tumbled to the ground. Swoo III wasn't so fortunate. He tumbled end over end until he crashed into a broken stub of a branch. Tesla cringed, the stub impaled the Courting Pokémon with brute force. His intestines were pulled out of its abdominal cavity and expelled through his back. Swoo III went limp. Blood oozed from his body, which is picked up by the wind, either to be splattered against the tree that killed him or to be carried elsewhere. Swoo IV screamed, breaking down into tears.

Tesla rushed up to her and helped her up to her feet, _"Swoo III," _she cried.

_"Come on," _said Tesla. _"There's nothing we can do for him now!"_

Swoo IV cried, _"My wing, it's broke!"_

Tesla took a look at her wing. Her humerus had snapped clean through the middle, the flesh was barely attached. Swoo IV screamed as Tesla held it up, the poor thing was in so much pain. _"Please don't leave me here!" _she cried.

No need to kill her. With a broken wing, it would be a long time before she could fly again. So for Karma's sake, he better get her to safety. Preferably alive, which would help avoid suspicion in Swoo II and III's deaths.

Tesla readjusted the Swoobat on his back and gently wrapped her broken wing around his body. _"Ow, it hurts!" _Swoo IV cried.

_"Come on," _said Tesla. _"Bear with me here."_

The old Pikachu fought his way against the wind. The storm rocked him back and forth, trying to knock him off balance. Tesla readjust the Swoobat and crouched, he quickly slipped out of the forest and back into the trench. The storm was dying down, it wasn't as loud as before. But the storm was a long way from passing, as the sky began turning green again. Tesla crawled down the trench back toward the gate. The Swoobat continued moan and sob. She hadn't been injured before, that was for sure. The Swoobat probably never felt pain before. Tesla stroke the Swoobat's broken wing and continued on, it was almost over.

When he reached the gate, he noticed the storm had dislodged it from the dirt. It was pinned against the fence. Tesla got a feeling it was going to whip out and hit him on the rear if he tries to pass. So Tesla climbed out of the fence, braving the vicious wind as he ran for it. Sure enough, the gate swung out and closed itself. In what was probably the first time in years, it slipped into its latched and held closed.

Tesla panted, the storm had drained most of his energy. He was shivering feverishly and his arms and legs were locking up. The old Pikachu hobbled around the elite bunker. Now with the storm to his back, it gave him a boost as he hobbled back to the command bunker.

The whole world went white, followed by a massive boom. The air instantly turned to ozone. Tesla stumbled, then blinked. Then something cracked. He looked to his side and saw a tree got fried. The bark was sheered, exposing the white wood underneath. Whatever bark was left was red hot, looking a lot like charcoal. Tesla's eyes bulge as he watched the tree snapped at its base. It toppled over and crashed onto the elite bunker, heated embers and ash were kicked up and carried away by the storm, dissipating in a red neon mist. Though the tree was destroyed, the elite bunker was undamaged. Tesla pictured Wotter in his bed, wondering what had fallen on the roof.

_"Did you see that!?" _Tesla called out.

_"I did," _said Swoo IV.

Tesla quickly ran to the command bunker and opened the door, he rushed inside and shut it behind him.

Nobark ran out into the hall, just in time to see Tesla collapse. He rushed up and helped the old Pikachu up to his feet, but waved him off. "The Swoobat's injured, she needs more help than me."

"Do you know where the others?" Nobark asked.

Tesla thought about Swoo III being impaled by the storm, he said, "Swoo III is gone."

"What happened?"

"He got impaled by a branch in a tree."

Nobark blinked, "Damn, I always liked that Swoo."

Tesla carefully let Swoo IV down. "Don't stand there, Nobark. Help me move her."

Nobark helped Tesla carry Swoo IV into the den, she mumbled under her breath, still sobbing. Mark's Pikachu and Cheering Pokémon got off their couch and pulled the blankets off. Tesla and Nobark sat Swoo IV on the couch, Nobark carefully tucked her broken wing over her chest. She continued to sob. _"There there, Swoo IV," _said Nobark. _"You're safe."_

Swoo IV turned to Tesla, her eyes were glazed under the fluorescent lights. _"I don't know how to thank you," _said Swoo IV. _"I thought I was a goner. I knew there was a storm coming, but I didn't know it was going to be this powerful."_

_ "Were you asleep?" _Tesla asked.

Swoo IV nodded. _"Yes, I was. I was caught by surprise, I didn't know what to do," _then she said, _"Oh, poor Swoo III! He was one of our best spotters!"_

Tesla rubbed her head, _"Don't worry about him now, there's nothing we can do for him."_

_ "He slipped out of my wings, it could've been me!"_

_ "It could've, but instead you slammed into a bare trunk and broke your wing. If I had left you there, it could've been you."_

Swoo IV sighed. _"I don't know what to say, how can I repay you?"_

_ "You might wanna wait on that. Right now you need to rest, we'll get you to the infirmary once the storm's passed."_

The Courting Pokémon closed her eyes and breathed. _"I'm so tired."_

Smugleaf walked up and asked, "I heard a lightning strike, was that you?"

Tesla shook his head, "No, that was the storm. It knocked over a tree and landed on the elite bunker, I bet you Wotter is wondering to himself what had landed on the roof."

The old Pikachu then stepped away, then rested his hands on his knees. He was cold and wet, he had no energy left.

Nobark asked, "Tesla, you alright?"

Before Tesla could respond, he collapsed on the floor. The world blanked out around him.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	31. Chapter 31

_Chapter 31_

Bubbles wasn't sure if the nightmare was over, all she knew she couldn't fight back any longer. Her legs felt sore and her shoulders hurt. Not only that, the world felt different. Smelled different. Looked different. The Sea Otter Pokémon opened her eyes and found herself staring at the ceiling. For the past few days the wall was to her right, now it was to her left. She was in a different room, not in Smugleaf's room. Bubbles shifted position and her hand brushed against something. It was fury, and vaguely familiar. She turned and noticed a bigger version of an Oshawott lying beside her. Bubbles blinked, it was a Dewott. Not only that, but it smelled like a male. _Why am I sleeping next to a male Dewott? _she thought. The Sea Otter Pokémon only remembered being handled by someone. Could it be the Dewott? Bubbles took a deep breath and exhaled. She still felt sore, but strangely she also felt stoned for some reason.

Then her eyes burst open.

Her memory came back to her.

Bubbles shot a glance at Wotter. He was out cold, softly snoring, with a beer bottle clamped to his hand. The Sea Otter quietly down the bed and got at the end, then she tip-toed to the edge of the door. Bubbles took one final glance at the Discipline Pokémon. His face was peaceful as he snored, no hint of anger. Bubbles opened the door ajar and slid out into the hall, then closed the door.

She breathed out, the terror she felt was forgotten but the damage was still raw. He was all over her, and in her. Bubbles's tongue didn't taste right, and her legs felt wobbly. She stumbled down the hall, barely keeping her balance. When she got to Smugleaf's room, she leaned against the wall and rested her head for a moment. Her belly started making noises, Bubbles rubbed it.

And discovered her scalchop was gone.

A ping of grief stricken her for a moment, then faded when she felt bubbles moving around in her belly. They were noisy and felt strange. Bubbles groaned, she pressed her belly and crouched.

A puff of air expelled from her butt. Her belly stopped bubbling. She felt a lot better. The air smelled awful, Bubbles covered her nose and waved it off. What was it, gas? Is that what came out of her butt? Bubbles shivered, then opened Smugleaf's door.

Smugleaf wasn't there, though the bed was unmade. She touched it, it was cold, not slept in recently. Bubbles closed the door and glanced back at Wotter's room. It stayed silent, the door showing no signs of opening.

She didn't wanna stay here.

Bubbles turned toward the exit and stepped out of the elite bunker. The sun was just coming out, the air smelled thick with dew, and it was cold. Bubbles rubbed her arms and shivered, she never felt such cold before. For some reason there were fresh green leaves everywhere. Green leaves covering the grass, clinging to the buildings, along with broken branches and loose debris. Bubbles held up an arm to shield her eyes from the sun and stepped out. Her feet were instantly soaked. The air was still cold, and the place seemed desolate. Bubbles turned to the command bunker, it too was covered with leaves. She broke into a sprint, running straight for the command bunker. She didn't look back.

**. . .**

Tesla woke up with a major headache. He felt like crap, and cold. The old Mouse Pokémon remembered dragging Swoo IV out of the storm, but nothing after that. _What a night, _he thought. His mind still flashed images of leaves, rain, hail, and tornadoes. Tesla groaned, he rubbed his ears and opened his eyes.

He found himself lying in a hospital bed in the infirmary. Beside him was Swoo IV, her wing bandaged and braced. Tesla checked himself for wires and tubes. He found none. The old Pikachu tried to sit up. A muscle in his back tightened, Tesla winced and laid back down. He had done it now. He pushed himself too hard and now his body was refusing to cooperate. The advice of his long-dead doctors came back to haunt him. _Don't eat too much salt, _they said. _It is not good for your blood pressure. _Dr. Rosenberg would have told him not to eat too much cholesterol and get plenty of rest. But as always, Tesla loved his peanut butter and mocha cappuccinos without special alterations.

The door labeled _STAFF ONLY _opened and Tendon stepped out. Tesla turned to her. She wasn't smiling, he wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not. The Hearing Pokémon picked up his hand, checked his pulse, then nodded. _"Your blood pressure was through the roof, yesterday," _she said. _"Now it's lower than the water table."_

Tesla said nothing.

Tendon shot a look at Tesla, _"It was stupid of you to go out there like that. Nobark brought your ass in here. He was scared sh*tless and bouncing all over the place. I considered giving him a sedative until Smugleaf dragged him out of here."_

_ "Did I break anything?" _Tesla asked.

_"No."_

Tendon walked up to Swoo IV and checked her blood pressure. _"I don't know if I should be mad at you or not. You didn't yet pay me for the raid, yet you saved one of the PRA's vital assets. But before that, you broke Smugleaf's arm and crushed her. I don't know if you like us or you hate us."_

_ "Love/ hate relationship at best," _said Tesla.

_"Were you like that to your trainer's other Pokémon?"_

_ "Yes, I don't know why, but Pokémon _love _to get on my nerves. Yes, most of the time they fool around. But I have my limits, cause I'm sensitive."_

_ "No kidding, you have blood pressure problems."_

Tesla said nothing.

Tendon let go of the Swoobat, then turned to Tesla. _"You've been in Soho, correct."_

_ "Yes."_

_ "Where did you stay?"_

_ "At their Pokémon Center."_

_ "Deserted?"_

_ "Save for the receptionist and a few Audinos."_

Tendon sucked on her mouth for a moment. _"I used to work there, I got a lot of hardship for years till Nobark got me out."_

Tesla nodded. _"One of the Audinos still remembered you."_

Tendon raised an eyebrow. _"Oh?"_

_ "Does the name _Pinki _rang a bell?"_

The Hearing Pokémon turned back to the Swoobat and looked her over. _"Yes, I know her and I know her sister. What did she tell you?"_

_ "Your history, and the night of the PRA's first Soho Raid. She accuses you of killing Appendix."_

Tendon scoffed, _"Guilty as charged, App was the main cause of my temper to begin with."_

_ "Note that she _accuses _you for killing her sister, however she isn't sure if you did or not. She wants to know who the murderer really was, it burns her up from not knowing."_

_ "Pinki was a softie, she was the opposite of her sister."_

Tesla studied Tendon's face, she looked hard, bitter, showing no signs of the affection that comes with her medical career. She admitted killing Appendix without stuttering her words or having a moment of guilt. This Audino was the bad apple of medical school, a narcissistic piece of trash with a corrupt heart. And despite her hating everyone she knew, she went to painstaking work mending their broken bones and stitching their wounds as she was raised to do. Maybe that was a good sign. If Tendon was still sticking to her medical profession, then that might be a sign she actually cared about her fellow Pokémon. She volunteered to participate in the raid and got all the supplies she needed from the Springfield Pokémon Center, then she restocked the infirmary the next day. That takes commitment, and that commitment had to come from somewhere.

_"Why all the food and sex, Tendon?" _Tesla asked.

_"What?" _she asked.

_"Why eat and drink almost constantly and have sex multiple times a day, is there something you're trying to fulfill?"_

Tendon said nothing.

_"I know this, Tendon. I used to be like you. I drank to numb my own problems and show bitter resentment toward my friends. I did all that because I lost Pokémon I cared about, like my mother and father and my brothers and sisters. I always think about them and wished them to come back," _then Tesla said, _"I don't know what bothered you to begin with. Maybe it was the pressures of medical school or from the other Audinos. I am not asking you what is bugging you. That's your business. But I am telling you that you don't have to live like this."_

Tendon just stared at him, then looked away. _"I wanted to be in control of my life. Yes, it was the pressures from medical school, and yes, the other Audinos gave me a hard time. I just wanted control."_

_ "So how is Nobark treating you?"_

Tendon smiled, _"You know he has Parkinson's Disease, correct?"_

_ "Yes, I do."_

_ "He comes to me for his prescription. I give him his meds and he _kindly _gives me payment, I have him under my thumb in the case of his health."_

Tesla asked, _"So you give him meds and he pleasures you."_

_ "Correct."_

The old Pikachu shook his head. _"Typical, Nobark."_

Tendon walked up to Tesla and scooped him up and held him to eye level. The old Mouse Pokémon could smell the stale beer in her breath and on her fur. Her hardened sky-blue eyes bore through his goggles, she said, _"You owe me, Tesla."_

_ "I indeed do, I promised you a fantasy and I'm going to give it to you."_

Tendon grinned, _"Well then."_

**. . .**

Bubbles stumbled into the command bunker, her lungs burning and her heart pounding. She couldn't be more desperate. Having been personally violated by that creep, Bubbles needed help. But she didn't know who to turn to. Woody wasn't the kind who has any assumed authority, and Tendon obviously won't budge. Smugleaf might help her, though she was no different than Wotter. Nobark had the punch needed to bring Wotter to his senses, but they were friends, and Nobark was unstable. Only one Pokémon in Fort Wernher had the authority necessary for action, and that Pokémon was Tesla.

However she had no clue where he is, he could be in any of these rooms. Smugleaf was somewhere as well, and Nobark. Bubbles took a deep breath. She was good at hide-and-seek, it shouldn't be hard finding Tesla. The Sea Otter knew his scent, and it was quite strong in the command bunker. Bubbles sniffed, she found that his scent was concentrated at two doors: One closest to her at her left, and a second one a bit farther down the hall to her right. Tesla's scent didn't smell quite right, she could smell a hint of grass clinging to it. Whatever it means, Bubbles wasn't sure. A part of her felt that Smugleaf must've done something to him. She had heard that Nobark forced Smugleaf to take new arrivals to the Pokémon jail, and he was upset about it. Bubbles's head numbed, events went so fast throughout the week that she couldn't keep up. The Sea Otter blinked, everything was becoming a blur now.

Bubbles went up to the first door. She didn't hesitate or give it a second thought, she just went ahead and opened it. Tesla wasn't there, instead she saw his great-granddaughter sleeping on a couch. Next to her was the Plusle and the Minun, both were also sleeping soundly under blankets. On the other couch was Smugleaf, and the Emolga. Bubbles blinked. The Emolga had her arms wrapped tight around the Grass Snake Pokémon. She knew the posture well, Gloria had always hugged her that way while they sleep. Bubbles shivered. Smugleaf was sleeping with everybody, that _thing _was spreading corruption. She definitely couldn't be trusted, in fact Bubbles didn't wanna be in the room with her. The Sea Otter Pokémon stepped out of the room and silently closed the door behind her.

She walked up to the second room, also opening it without a second thought.

Tesla wasn't in there either. The bed he apparently was sleeping on was empty. Bubbles pressed her nose against it. The bed was cold, yet it was strong with Tesla's scent. He hadn't been sleeping here recently, so where is he? Bubbles panicked, she was losing patience and losing hope. Sooner or later Wotter would wake up and start hunting for her. He had killed Gloria, and she was next. Bubbles shuttered. If Wotter wasn't done with her yet, then it would be another repeat of last night. If he is indeed done with her, then Wotter would dispose of her. Bubbles gripped her ears. That was a bad thought. She didn't wanna die, she wanted to live. She wanted out of this nightmare.

The sound of soft footfalls echoed down the hall, breaking Bubbles's concentration of thought. Bubbles acted fast, she dropped to her belly and slid under the bed. She held her breath.

"Tesla," Nobark's voice called out. "Are you back?"

Bubbles saw Nobark's feet stepped into the room. She cringed, they were so close to her that she could reach out and touch them. "Tesla?" Nobark called out again. He paused for a moment, then he said, "He isn't here, you're just making this up."

Bubbles's mind sprained a brain lobe, who was he talking to.?

She got her answer when Nobark spoke with a different tone of voice, the tone was so soft and far away that Bubbles had to really listen in order to hear it. It didn't sound right, it didn't sound much like Nobark, rather it sounded like a different person entirely. "I know someone's here," he said. "I can feel it."

"But who," said Nobark with his normal voice. "Who is here?"

"Definitely not Smugleaf, doesn't smell so grassy."

"So who?"

Nobark sniffed the air. Bubbles watched as his feet walked around the room, stopping occasionally to get a sniff of the air. Bubbles carefully slid as far back to the wall as much as she can. Nobark scent was invading her nostrils. She squeezed her eyes shut. Then suddenly the scent broke apart into multiple scents, flooding her brain like a torrent. It was like there were was a crowd in the room, but the only Pokémon here were her and Nobark.

"Who," Nobark asked himself. "Definitely someone new, I'm not familiar with this scent. Someone foreign is here with us."

"How can you tell?"

Nobark's feet buckled. "Another Pokémon, apparently one who likes bubblegum."

Bubbles covered her head. Her heart was pounding its way out of her throat and her lungs were locked open. Sweat trailed down her neck. The Sea Otter Pokémon felt her elbow touched the wall, she crawled to the far corner and huddled into a tight ball. She peaked through her arms and watched Nobark's feet walked around. He kept going back and forth in the room, trying to pinpoint the source of her scent. As Bubbles struggled to push herself back, her arm brushed against something leathery. She grabbed it and held it up. It was a knife encased in a homemade pouch. Bubbles blinked, it was Smugleaf's knife! What was it doing here?!

Then her belly started bubbling again.

Unlike last time, it was silent, but it felt strong and violent. Bubbles felt it work her way through her system. _Oh, why now? _Bubbles thought.

Nobark's feet kept walking around the room, sniffing the air. Pressure started to build in Bubbles's system. She sat the knife aside and used all her will to hold it in. Her belly began to hurt, Nobark just kept on walking. The sniffing got louder.

The pressure built up to a point where it was ready to come out. Bubbles held it in with all her strength, her heart pounded faster, her breathing became shallower.

_Go, _Bubbles thought. _Please, go!_

"Well," said Nobark. "Nothing to see here, best check elsewhere."

Bubbles watched as Nobark's feet walked toward the door and left the room. She held on for a good five long seconds, then let go. Hot stinky air blasted out of her butt like a broken trumpet. Bubbles relaxed. Ironically farting felt good, her belly felt better before now the offending gas was out. She started crawling out from underneath the bed, she thought she was in the clear.

Until a hand reached down and grabbed her by the arm.

The Sea Otter tried to scream, but she had no voice to scream. Nothing came out but a muted hiss, as if a pressurized tank had sprang a leak. She found herself looking into Nobark's eyes. One pupil cloudy with a cataract, the other sharp and clear. He didn't look happy, but he didn't seem angry either. What was it? Leer? Was he using Leer on her? Bubbles couldn't tell, she was terrified enough as it is. Nobark peered closer at her. Bubbles locked up, her heart getting ready to explode. The Hoodlum Pokémon pressed his nose against her and gave her a good sniff._ "Bubblegum," _he said in Pokémon speech. _"Of course."_

Bubbles started whimpering, big tears came trailing down her eyes.

_"What's wrong, Bubbles," _said Nobark. _"What happened to you? Why are you hiding?"_

Bubbles opened her mouth to speak, but closed it. One of Nobark's closest associates had abused her. Will telling Nobark what happened help her cause or not? So far he was unstable and unpredictable, Bubbles didn't wanna give Nobark a reason to be suspicious of her.

But it was clear that Nobark knew there was something wrong, as if he had seen someone like her before. Nobark shook his head and sat her on the bed. _"You're looking for Tesla?" _Nobark asked.

Bubbles nodded, but said nothing.

_"Well, he's not here. He managed to save one of our Swoobats yesterday during that intense storm. Tesla was out of it. I mean, _really _out of it. Right now he's in the infirmary, where Tendon is watching him right now," _then Nobark asked, _"You want me to take you to him?"_

Bubbles bunched up her hands under her chin and nodded.

Nobark scooped Bubbles up and cradled her in his arms. _"You poor thing, just why good Pokémon like you suffer? Well then, I'll take you to Tesla. He might be cranky in the morning, but he won't stay pissed for long when he realizes what is going on."_

The Hoodlum Pokémon carried Bubbles out of the room and walked down the hall, then stepped out of the command bunker and headed toward the infirmary. Bubbles laid still in his arms. If what Smugleaf said is true, Nobark would turn in an instant. She looked up at the Scrafty. His face was cool and complacent, showing loyalty and obedience. Nothing wrong on the outside, apparently.

But she already knew that was bologna. Nobark is steaming out of the seams, he was a pressure cooker sitting on the stove for far too long. If he was vocally talking to himself, then he was getting ready to rupture and cause pandemonium.

Bubbles wished Wotter hadn't killed Gloria. In fact she wished he had never been to their backyard. She could be at home, safe and sound, eating comfortably and sleeping soundly at night. Bubbles wanted that life back.

She had a feeling it might never come back at all.

**. . .**

Tendon was passed out cold, the Audino laid on her back with her arms and legs spread out, an open smile stretched across her face. Tesla just laid beside her, wondering to himself how to break the news to Pinki if he, at all, get back to Soho. She had asked him to figure out what really happened at night. Though Tesla wasn't trained to be an investigator, he had already pieced together what had happened. All he needed to do now was confirm it. But Tendon was in no mood for explaining. She was stoned all the way to New Year's Day. Tesla rolled his eyes. _How do I even know how to do this? _So far his tuned electrical shocks kept Smugleaf roughly in check and Tendon satisfied. He wasn't going to get anything stupid out of them. However they're going to ask for more. They would be in denial at first, but the urge would be so great that they would come crawling right back. Normally he would use this to his advantage, but Smugleaf and Tendon knew Attract, and they wouldn't hesitate to use it. He would have to keep his distance from both of them for the time being.

Tesla sat up and nudged Tendon in the side, she snorted, her eyes flickered open. She glanced at him with curiosity, then yawned. _"Yeah," _she asked. _"You need something?"_

_ "Tell me what happened that night," _said Tesla. _"From your point of view, by how you saw it happen."_

Tendon just stared at him for a moment, then Tesla held out his hand and stroke her belly. She smiled, _"The night was like any other," _she said. _"When the sun first set, we all jumped straight into chores. Lots and lots of chores. We were all tasked to clean up the Pokémon Center. It used to be busy in my day, Pokémon used to come in with all sorts of illnesses and injuries. We worked hard in treating them. I did my job just as well as everybody, but I was the only one who complained. I kept my thoughts to myself that night, I never spoke of my problems since."_

_ "So what happened?" _Tesla asked.

_"A few nights earlier, I threw a fit over App for her persistence in our diets. I couldn't remember exactly what day it happened. It was in the month when the raid happened, but I'm not sure if it was a week or two before. Anyway, I went through Soho and found a secluded spot for some privacy. I was angry, angry at my life and the lack of pay, and the lack of a certain kind of respect."_

_ "What kind of respect?" _Tesla asked.

_"I have a personal life that I don't want people and Pokémon bugging me about, and they intrude like it was none of their business."_

Tesla chuckled, _"I hear you, I had always explode with rage when people intrude in my personal time. I also went off to find a secluded spot to cool down, and sometimes I won't come back home for a couple of days, or sometimes a month, depending on how much my trainer pisses me off."_

_ "When's the longest time you got away to your own personal time?"_

_ "Twenty years. My trainer died and everyone was putting phone calls to his closest associates so they could get a hold of me. I ran off for the last time, and before I knew it everything I knew changed."_

Tendon said, _"I was considering heading off into the wilderness, but I don't wanna live in the shrubs. While I sat there in that alley trying to plan my next move, Nobark came. He, Wotter, and Smugleaf. The three highest officials of the Pokémon Resistance Army. We both exchanged stares, it was Nobark who offered me the job as a medic for his PRA. I asked him the benefits, he said I get my own living space and my very own infirmary. He was desperate, Tesla. He needed a medic. He had a Patrat who was badly injured and needed to get him treated, and he can't just walk him into a Pokémon Center, can he?"_

_ "So what did you do?" _Tesla asked.

_"I told him I would join, but on one condition. I charge for my services, period. He agreed, and so I got the job. Then he told me about the raid, and I told him I could get I could provide my own medical supplies if I play a part in it."_

_ "How did it start off for you?" _Tesla asked.

Tendon folded her hands behind her head and stared off into the ceiling. _"They started coming in as a trickle, App and Pinki said it was unusual. I played along, even though I knew what was happening I honestly didn't know how bad it would be. Sure enough we got all these police officers and civilians coming in with grotesque wounds. The Audinos had a meltdown, they were overwhelmed. I just kept my cool, I was waiting for my moment."_

_ "How did the Nurse Joy reacted?"_

_ "She was calling her local contacts to figure out what was happening, but nobody was picking up. Then the phone line cut, and before I knew it the power to the Pokémon Center shut down. The Nurse Joy ordered me and App to go check on the generators to figure out why it wasn't working, of course, I knew why."_

_ "How?"_

_ "I disabled the generator myself, that's why. I simply disconnected the battery and slipped out of the room without anyone noticing." _Tendon glanced up at the ceiling and said, _"App had a flashlight beam on the generator, looking through the circuit breakers. I had the scalpel in my hand, and it was clamped tight. The moment could never be more perfect."_

_ "And that was when you killed Appendix," _said Tesla.

Tendon nodded. _"I was quick and fast, she got no warning at all when I sank the scalpel into the back of her skull. Her medulla was lacerated, and she went down like a sack of bricks."_

_ "Surgical precision."_

_ "My education in medical school paid off for once. I stared at her corpse for a moment to let the thought sink in, then I got to work in looting the Soho Pokémon Center's supply stash. I had help. Wotter came to the back window with some guys, I constantly handed him sack after sack. I got all the medical supplies I could, then I started grabbing food for my personal consumption. Everything was loaded up in bags and carried out of Soho in ten minutes._

Tesla asked, _"What did you use as bags?"_

_ "Pillow cases from the beds, and some potato sacks Wotter had brought with him. We got a lot of stuff out of Soho that night. And when I left that Pokémon Center, I didn't went back. I was glad to leave that life behind."_

Tesla lay there and processed everything. Tendon stretched her legs and yawned, then changed position. _"And you know what happened after that. Now if you excuse me, I need to catch some sleep."_

_ "It's nine in the morning," _said Tesla.

_"I sleep a lot, I never pass an opportunity to rest."_

Tesla nodded. _"I hear yeah."_

Tendon let out another yawn, she then turned over on her stomach and hugged her pillow. Tesla got up and flexed his joints. Using electricity to stimulate a Pokémon drains him considerably, he made a mental note on not to mutually pleasure someone for the rest of the month, or maybe the year, depending on how things turn out in Fort Wernher. He stepped out of the backroom and carefully closed the door behind him. Tesla started for the entrance, passing by the empty hospital beds. Just as he passes Swoo IV, she stirred and woke up. _"Tesla," _she asked. _"Is that you?"_

_ "It's me," _said Tesla.

Her eyes fluttered, barely trying to stay open. _"Are you okay?"_

_ "I'm fine," _he said. _"How about you?"_

_ "My wing hurts," _she said, then she asked, _"Am I ever going to fly again?"_

Tesla said nothing, he just broke eye contact and looked off toward the wall.

_"Tesla?" _Swoo IV asked.

_"I'm not sure, Swoo IV," _he finally said. _"I wish I could tell you, ask Tendon the next time you see her."_

Swoo IV nodded. _"Okay."_

The Courting Pokémon rested her head and closed her eyes. Tesla closed his. Two Swoobats dead, the third incapacitated, that only leaves Swoo I, who was somewhere around here. Either he survived the storm or not, that remained to be seen. Tesla could feel it was getting close to the end, but it was too soon for him. He was not yet ready, he didn't have an escape route planned yet. If Nobark blows out now, he would be forced to scramble, and some of his friends would be in harm's way once the first shots are fired. _The first shots, _Tesla thought. Now would the PRA dare fire at him? He was the Master of Electricity, and so far they didn't show much rebellion against him. Nobark might mobilize them though. He got Smugleaf to draw her knife on him, even got Wotter, Woody, and Tendon to point guns and crossbows at him. Their relationships are mutual at best, but that doesn't mean they won't hesitate to kill him. That was something to look out for in the coming days.

Tesla stepped out of the infirmary and was greeted by another day. There were still some thick clouds in the sky and the air was humid. Surrounding him was disembodied green leaves and the occasional fresh tree branch. The storm's destruction. Besides that, the day was beautiful and a rainbow was forming in the horizon.

He hadn't gotten a foot out the door when he heard Nobark called his name.

"Tesla," he heard him cry. "Oh, Arceus's sake, Tesla!"

The Mouse Pokémon turned and saw Nobark rushing up to him with desperation. He had Bubbles in her arms, the pink Oshawott looked sick or something. Tesla raised an eyebrow, was this trouble?

Nobark stopped before him and took a moment to catch his breath, then said, "She needs you, Tesla. It's urgent!"

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't know, she wouldn't tell me."

Nobark let Bubbles down, she held her hands over her chin, whimpering under her breath. Tesla noticed bruises around her neck and arms. He immediately realized what happened. It was domestic abuse, or sexual abuse. Tesla didn't care what it was called, all he cared was a poor innocent Pokémon had the last of her innocence stripped to the core. The old Pikachu kneeled, then raised her head. _"Who did this to you?" he asked._

Bubbles looked up at Tesla, but said nothing. Her eyes were petrified with horror, glistened with tears.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	32. Chapter 32

_Chapter 32_

Tesla had considered taking her back to the command bunker, but Smugleaf was there. Bubbles didn't wanna go anywhere near her, so they took her to the infirmary. Tesla sat her in a chair while Nobark got her a glass of water. When she finished gulping down the water, she told Tesla what happened. Her story was what the old Pikachu had expected. _"So Wotter did this to you?"_

Bubbles nodded. _"Yes, he hurt me bad! He was on me, and in me! I was screaming for my life!"_

Nobark just stood there, saying nothing. Tesla padded her on the head and said, _"Well we're going to take care of it. You weren't the first one, Bubbles, remember that."_

_ "Okay."_

_ "Did he do anything else?"_

_ "He forced alcohol down my throat, and I don't feel so good."_

_ "That will wear off in time."_

Nobark shook his head and stared off at the ceiling. "I know he was doing this, but I don't know how I could punish him. I don't want to be on bad terms with Wotter, he is my friend and he helps keep the others in line. I just don't know what to do with him, Tesla."

"Where are the other victims?" Tesla asked.

Nobark turned to him, _"Gone, they're gone now. Either they ran off or Wotter got rid of them himself. How many he had tormented, I do not know. I know that the Emolga he and Smugleaf brought in was a recent victim, but I don't know anyone else. I just don't pay attention to it, because I was scared of it."_

"Then let Smugleaf at him. If she hears of this, she's going to throw a fit."

"You broke her, Tesla. She's in no shape to rough anyone up."

"We'll see about that,"he then took Bubbles by the hand, then said in Pokémon speech, _"Come on."_

_ "Where are we going?" _Bubbles asked.

_"I can't let you stay here because of Tendon, and I can't let you go back to that elite bunker. You'll be safe with Mark's Pokémon, however you need to come to terms with Smugleaf."_

Bubbles yanked her hand away, _"She's just as bad as Nobark!"_

_ "No, she's not. For your information, her trainer got eaten alive. That messed her up badly, she knows how you feel." _Tesla sighed, _"Smugleaf may not be the best ally you have, but she's the only one who can give you full support. You just gotta let her."_

Bubbles stared at him.

_"Bubbles, I worked with people I don't like all the time. If you want an end to all of this, then you gotta fight it with equal force _plus _reinforcements. I don't like Smugleaf either, but neither of us can't be angry at her forever."_

Bubbles shook her head. _"She did weird things to me the second night I was here, how can I trust her?"_

_"Because one of Mark's Pokémon does. Smugleaf knew her for what seemed like forever. I am a bit uneasy about it, but Smugleaf broke the news to her trainer and confessed her personal problems. She can be trusted, but you'll need to guide her emotions. I know you can, you have a better charm than hers."_

The Sea Otter Pokémon twirled her fingers and thought long and hard. Bubbles squeezed her eyes shut and shivered. Tesla sat his hand on her shoulder, then said, _"You gotta do something on your part, Bubbles. We'll guide you along, but it is up to you to ask Smugleaf for help."_

Bubbles opened her eyes and looked up at Tesla. _"What am I supposed to do?"_

_ "Guilt her."_

**. . .**

Woody went through the laptops in his warehouse. Thanks to the recently cleared space, he had more elbow room to work in. The Muscular Pokémon knew a few things about computers. He had to in this age. He recalled that during his architect training for his construction career, he had to learn how to use a computer and operate design programs. It strained Woody's brain, but since he had no free time to do anything else, he worked on mastering the computer, then eventually learned about the design programs. Woody hadn't been on a computer in fifteen years, he felt his computer skills coming back. So much had changed during his day. The operating system on the laptops were three generations ahead of the one he was trained to use. Woody poked and played with the interface, getting familiar with the new technology. The applications and software were alien to him, but they still contained some familiar elements. Woody felt like a caveman trying to rediscover the wheel.

He sat the laptop aside and lay down on his cot. Woody was tired. He had to survey the damage done by the storm the other day. The damage wasn't too bad, the bunkers were still intact and the fences were okay. Amazingly the storm had dislodged the East gate, Woody cleared out the soil buildup so it wouldn't get stuck again. Good thing too. Swoo III was killed and Swoo IV was injured in the storm. Swoo II was still missing, and Swoo I was barely trying to cope what had happened to the other three. A major chunk of Fort Wernher's security system was gone, roughly seventy-five percent. Woody took an extra precaution by chaining the East gate shut and slapping a padlock on it, then pinned the key on the corkboard over his workbench in a place where he could see it. The PRA might start noticing something was wrong when they realize that gate is locked, and that would raise questions, and those questions would stress Nobark till he reach a certain point. Woody gulped, he didn't wanna see Nobark stressed.

Those USB sticks Tesla brought in might help ease his mind. They contain his past, from the PRA's preceding organization. This Westinghouse Army might or might not be that different from the Pokémon Resistance Army. Then again, the WA was guided by a central human authority figure, and Nobark was just a pawn. The chain of command was still in play despite the WA being disbanded. Woody could tell. He had never seen any Pokémon besides Tesla sucker punched Nobark like that. No wonder Nobark was paranoid about his power being contested. Tesla was trying to assert himself, and he was doing a far better job at being a leader than Nobark.

Woody sipped his cola as he digested that thought. Yes, Tesla was trying to assert himself. Nobark was powerless to do anything against him. Of course, he didn't wanna get turned to dust by Tesla's god-like electricity. The PRA knew it. Smugleaf knew it. Woody blinked, he knew it as well. Heck, everybody knew it. Just how did a cute little Pikachu like Tesla got a hold of such power anyway? Was he born with it? Trained? What was his secret? How did he get to be the leader he is right now?

The secret may be in those USB sticks, which can be accessed if he could get a computer up and running.

Woody sat his coke underneath his cot, then got back on the laptop. He typed him a few codes he still remembered from his day. The latest operating system recognized the commands and began to run them through its circuitry. The Muscular Pokémon rubbed his nose, this was going to take him all day.

**. . .**

Smugleaf heard the door swing open and slammed against the door stopper, she jumped, nearly pushing Emolga off the couch as she sat up. Bubbles stepped into the room, she looked like crap. Smugleaf rubbed her eyes and blinked, something wasn't right. The Sea Otter Pokémon stared at her with tired cried out eyes. Smugleaf stared back, her brain struggling to process what might've happened to her. She came to no definite conclusion, and so asked, _"Bubbles, what's wrong?"_

Bubbles simply looked away.

Smugleaf pulled the covers off and rushed up to her, just when she was in arm's reach Bubbles curled up a fist and socked her in the cheek. The Grass Snake Pokémon's legs went rubbery, she stumbled back and collapsed onto the floor. She landed on her broken arm and let out a squeal. Smugleaf held it up and nursed it, her arm throbbed with pain. The Grass Snake Pokémon hadn't expected that. Bubbles was so docile, she hadn't expected any aggression from her. She felt the area where Bubbles hit. It was hot. Her mouth started tasting blood. Smugleaf rubbed her cheek as she sat up, then Bubbles broke the news. _"Wotter violated me," _she said, her voice rasped with grief. _"I knew I couldn't trust you."_

Smugleaf blinked. _"What's going on?"_

_ "Wotter locked me in his room and violated me, that's what happened! Where were you, Smugleaf? Tell me, how come you hadn't come back yesterday?"_

She opened her mouth to speak, but Bubbles waved her off. _"Don't bother, you weren't the kind of Pokémon who even cares anyway. Heck, you were no different than Wotter as a matter of fact. You treated me like I was your stuffed toy rather than an actual being."_

Smugleaf's brain overloaded, but she quickly realized one crucial fact. She failed to protect Bubbles, she got too carried away from reuniting with her longtime friend Emolga that she forgotten all about Bubbles. What was she doing that caught Wotter's attention? Just when did it happen exactly? During the storm? Makes sense, she couldn't step out into the open without getting machine-gunned by rain and hail. That would have been a proper excuse, the problem with that was the fact that she could have returned to the elite bunker _before _the storm, she let the recent prisoners keep her occupied when the storm rolled in.

Ouch, she had no defense, and the look in Bubbles eyes show that she might not forgive her for this.

But she had one card she could play on her, and there was a chance it might back-fire. _Oh well, _Smugleaf thought. _It's worth a try._

_ "So after all that you hit me, even though I wasn't the one causing your grief?"_

_ "You said you would protect me," _insisted Bubbles, apparently unmoved.

_"Since I didn't come back, how come you stayed there? You could have just left the bunker and find me before Wotter moved in to find you. How come you haven't done that?"_

Bubbles said nothing.

_"And was it Wotter who killed your trainer, who brought you to this point?"_

_ "You forced alcohol or something down my throat, and he did the same! I couldn't remember most of what happened at both events!" _Then Bubbles asked, _"Do you two even sleep in the same bed together at one time?"_

The thought of her personal moment with Wotter back at Vegas City came to mind, Bubbles saw it in her face and looked away. _"Whatever, I never had trusted you."_

Bubbles turned and left the room, slamming the door behind her.

Smugleaf fell to her knees, everything sunk in almost immediately. Tesla had brought this up repeatedly. She had toyed with Pokémon for so long, she had forgotten about their own feelings. What she believed that would cheer Pokémon up had achieved the opposite. Smugleaf hadn't caused this, but it was her fault setting up Bubbles for grief. The Grass Snake Pokémon felt a tear trail down her cheek, she wiped it and lowered her head.

Then a hand touched her shoulder.

The Grass Snake Pokémon looked up and saw Mark's Emolga standing beside her. She wasn't smiling or frowning, but she saw empathy in her eyes. _"You can't help everyone, Smugleaf. You couldn't tell if Bubbles got attacked anyway."_

_ "I should've been there like I was supposed to," _said Smugleaf.

Emolga pressed her head against her chest, then said, _"He would've done it anyway. You have a broken arm, he could have easily overpowered you with a skillful blow. I know this because I had seen it, I had felt it. Tesla had kidnapped me one time, right under the nose of my trainer. He was fast and efficient, he had been planning it for a long time."_

_ "What did he do to you?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"He locked me in a cage and forced me to look at the world at a different angle, just like Bubbles dumping reality onto your lap," _then Emolga said, _"There's a way you could handle this, Smugleaf. Here me out. I don't know what you did to Bubbles or any other Pokémon before you, but they can't entirely blame you. You love me and Bubbles in your own weird way, and that I can't hold against you."_

Smugleaf smiled. _"Thank you, Emolga."_

Emolga shrugged. _"I'm sorry all this happened to you, Smugleaf. I didn't expect life would turn out something like this."_

Mark's Pikachu jogged up to them and said, _"As I recalled, Wotter knocked out Mark while the PRA bottled us up. I saw the look in his eyes, I know he wanted to overpower us. I've seen that look on a lot of Dixierat faces, but not the mean version."_

Smugleaf raised an eyebrow, _"Go on."_

_ "The Dixierats does it for pleasure, but Wotter does it for power. That's what's getting to him. Power. Reason being is he is insecure, he needs power to keep his life together."_

Smugleaf sat up and stretched her good arm, then nursed her broken one. _"I landed on my arm, I think I may have sprained it."_

_ "Will you be okay?" _Mark's Pikachu asked.

Smugleaf turned to her and said, _"I'll be fine once Wotter is taken care of, I just had it of watching him being a bully."_

Emolga nodded, _"If you're going to do anything to him, wait till the dead of night while he's asleep. He wouldn't see it coming."_

_ "Do you even know what you're going to do to him?" _Mark's Pikachu asked.

Smugleaf thought about it, there was a lot of things she wanted to do to him. Even though he was a cruel bastard, he was handsome, and sexy. If only Wotter was more kinder to his friends and associates. Smugleaf looked down and nursed her arm. She tossed and turned every option she could think of doing to Wotter in her head. It was a hefty list, ranging from torturing Wotter to playing with his mind. Smugleaf pulled back and thought about more realistic options.

Then she thought about her knife.

_"Thought of something, Smugleaf?" _Emolga thought.

_"I think if figured out something," _said Smugleaf. Then she said, _"Better sit on it for a while until things cool down, I'll get my moment when it comes."_

**. . .**

Tesla and Nobark watched Bubbles stepped out of the command bunker, she walked up to them and said, _"Okay, I told her."_

_ "How did she react?"_

_ "A bit of denial, she feels quite bad about herself," _Bubbles simply looked away. _"You sure it was a good idea for me to do that to her?"_

Tesla said, _"No idea is good or bad, it just have to work."_

Bubbles turned back toward Tesla and asked, _"Do I have to stay at the command bunker, or can I go somewhere else?"_

_ "You can find the other Emolga around here," _said Tesla. _"Hang out with him for a while until tonight, we'll have Smugleaf sent to her room later tonight."_

Bubbles nodded, _"Thank you, Tesla."_

The Sea Otter Pokémon didn't run off bouncing on her feet, she simply walked with her head down, letting her surroundings roll over her. Nobark shifted on his other foot and took a deep breath. "Why are girls so emotional, Tesla?"

"Children," the old Mouse Pokémon said. "Women are evolutionally-programmed to be emotional so they wouldn't abandon their children. It's either that, or the estrogen that is causing it. You could take a male and female brain of the same species and put them together, and they will be completely different. Similar, yet more developed in some areas than others."

"How do you know that?"

Tesla replied, "I had a mother who raised me right."

The Mouse and Hoodlum Pokémon watched Bubbles approach the barracks. She simply opened the door and went inside as conscripts started coming out for breakfast. Their eyes looked over her, probably more focused on food than their comrades.

"Who else is being a thorn to your PRA, Nobark?" Tesla asked.

Nobark's expression changed as another personality inserted itself, Tesla could feel it. The Scrafty turned to him and said, "Chief Hattricks," he said. "He's a detriment to the militia."

"I can tell, the bastard had me arrested when I was _trespassing _into Soho."

Nobark and Tesla started walking, they passed the human jail and the Pokémon bunker, then looped around toward the warehouse and the armory. Nobark stared straight ahead while Tesla scanned the base for anyone watching. There was the occasional PRA conscript, but they don't seem too interested in him, or maybe that was what they wanted him to think. "I need him out of the picture," said Nobark. "The Chief of Police is an elected position, but the prick was appointed by the Soho council, not by the populace. Soho citizens are powerless against him, even his own officers are helpless."

Tesla asked, "How do you want it done?"

Nobark said, "It must look like an accident. If the town suspects it was done by a Pokémon, they'll flip their sh*t. I don't need the town to do that. What I need is for the town to be in disarray so I could launch an assault."

That caught Tesla's attention. An assault? He didn't say _raid, _he said assault. Not good. "Do you have the Pokémon to pull it off, Nobark?"

"I have troops all over Unova," said Nobark. "They've been collecting new recruits for some time. I had just sent orders to round them up and organize them into one huge force. We're going to have Soho surrounded, then we'll breach their walls," then he said, "But to do that, I'm going to need to cut off the head of the PRA, and you're going to do that."

_Oh great, _Tesla thought. _I'm going back into the belly of the beast. _

"I'm going to need some help with this one, Nobark," said Tesla. "You have someone who knows the insides and out of the Soho streets and storm drains? What about a way inside?"

Nobark and Tesla stopped at the front of the Pokémon jail. The old Pikachu imagined Ash's Pokémon screaming their heads off inside. Were they being fed, or at least looked after?

"Wotter knows the place well, he pointed out several ways in and out," Nobark chuckled. "The humans can build a wall around their town, but they couldn't patch all the holes in their leaky sewer system."

"That's how you've been getting into Soho?"

Nobark nodded. "They forgot the storm drains coming in and out of Soho. There's several access points at least two to three clicks from the town. They couldn't seal them all because some of the access ways isn't in their jurisdiction, and even if they had patched them, we could easily cut our way through whatever grate or manhole they put up," he chuckled and said, "You can't keep a Pokémon out forever."

Tesla looked up at the Pokémon jail, its unpainted concrete façade towering over him. _You can't keep a Pokémon in forever either, _he thought but didn't say.

Nobark stretched his arms and legs, Tesla sensed his personality shifting once again. "Well," he said, "I better go check on the storm damage, you take care Tesla."

When Nobark was out of earshot, Tesla closed his eyes. He leaned against the wall, processed everything he heard. Wotter's rage, Smugleaf's grief, Nobark's personal problems, and Tendon's background. All were independent and unrelated to the other, but were all connected via the PRA. Nobark brought Tendon, Wotter, and Smugleaf into the fold, but did little to address their personal issues. They were left raging unchecked, unmanaged. That hurts the PRA's credibility in bringing a better life to Pokémon. Either Nobark cares about other Pokémon or he didn't, but one thing was clear, Nobark wouldn't give up until his power was secured. Little did he knew, he himself was the reason of his decline.

Just how long did Tesla have to wait for Nobark to crash?

_Not long, apparently, _he thought.

**. . .**

Rex sat on a fallen log, staring at the can before him. It was an empty cola can sitting on a cleanly cut tree stump. Sara and Volts sat nearby, nervously waiting to see what he was going to do. A .38 Model 10 lay clamped in the palm of his hand, his finger just over the trigger guard. He closed his eyes, his stint in the military flashed in his eyes. He remembered the early morning jogging, the drills, the training. He remembered taking apart and putting his weapon back together again. He remembered firing that same weapon at human silhouette targets. He remembered firing that same weapon in the line of duty, the bullets ripping into human bone and muscle, pulling out organs and shredding them into morsel. A lot of walls got painted red, a lot of bodies hit the ground. Rex lifted up his arm and pulled the sleeve back. The disfiguring scar was still creased along his forearm. He remembered slapping gauze and duct tape over them for a quick emergency fix. The adrenaline in his system acted like morphine. At the same time it was both painful and numb, Rex couldn't tell, he was too busy shooting the enemy.

He wasn't Special Forces, he was a medic in the conventional army. Rex infiltrated hostile bases with a team, with equipment, with air support. This time he was on his own, and he couldn't afford to do a shock and awe approach.

And that was not the only problem. Rex was trained to combat humans, not other Pokémon.

Not only will they have guns, but special abilities. A one-two punch. Not to mention he would be grossly outnumbered. Rex had to assume Mark was locked up somewhere in Fort Wernher, including Ash, Cilan, and Iris. Their Pokémon would also be in the crossfire. Both the trainers and their Pokémon were used to Pokémon battles, where the trainer screams out commands and the Pokémon acts on them. But the game had changed. The PRA would go for the trainers first to cause panic to their Pokémon, then pick them off one by one. Supposedly their Pokémon got out, how was he going to tell who was friendly and who wasn't? Will they simply wave their hands in the air and beg for mercy? The PRA might do that, just to draw him in, then make a surprise attack. A possibly, assuming they were smart enough.

Rex stood up and faced the can, he raised his revolver and took aim and squeeze the trigger. The revolver boomed and knocked the can off the tree stump. Birds erupted out of the tree line and scattered in all directions. Sara and Volts jumped, but held their ground. They were used to the sound of gunfire.

Rex held his pistol toward the sky as he investigated the cola can. The entry hole was smack in the middle, neatly caved inward, still smoking from rapid heating. Rex picked up the can and turned it over. Yikes, the exit hole was worse. It flowered out in a big and ugly gape, completely shredded and burnt. He looked up at where the bullet went. He could plainly see it burrowed itself into the bark of an old oak tree. Rex walked up to it and dug his finger into the hole, the bullet popped out and fell to the grass. He reached down to pick it up. It was pancaked and hot, covered with soot and some aluminum dust. Rex squeezed it in the palm of his hand and turned to Sara. "You ready, guys?"

Both Sara and Volts nodded.

"We're not going to strike right away, not just yet. I need to get familiar with this forest before we do anything. I want you two to stay in your Poké balls and don't come out for anything, okay?"

Both Mouse Pokémon nodded again.

Rex stuck his pistol in the back of his pants, then fished out both their Poké balls. "Return."

Both Mouse Pokémon dematerialized and absorbed into their Poké balls, then they shrunk. Rex slid them into his pocket, he crushed the can flat and buried it in the mud, then walked back into the forest.

**. . .**

Wotter woke up just before noon. He yawned, he felt good. The Discipline Pokémon probably never had sleep this great in years. He kicked aside the covers and slid out of bed. Wotter stretched his arms and legs. He felt like doing a six-lap jog around the base, maybe seven if he paced himself just right. Wotter opened up his refrigerator and grabbed a water bottle, he gulped it down, burped, and set it aside. He blinked, took a deep breath, then popped his shoulder-blades until they were loose. Wotter smoothed out the covers on his bed, then stepped out of his bedroom.

His memory kicked in just as he passed Smugleaf's bedroom. _Oh, _he realized. _The sh*tdick. _

Wotter had forgotten about her. Last night was a blur, how much had he drank last night? He remembered getting on top of her and forcing beer down her throat, but nothing else. Wotter scratched his head, he'd probably blanked out, it happens all the time.

The Discipline Pokémon stared at the door for a moment, was what's-her-face inside? Wotter shrugged, only one way to find out.

He twisted the doorknob, then opened it a crack.

Smugleaf's bed was empty, the covers were unmade, yet they don't look like they were recently slept in. Wotter closed the door and checked to see if anyone was in the hall, for the most part he seemed to have the whole elite bunker to himself. Either Smugleaf hadn't been back yet or she was at the command bunker, fiddling around with those brats or something. Wotter chuckled. He knew Smugleaf well, she could never resist wrapping her vines around a Pokémon and pull them close. Male, female, she didn't care, as long as they were cute and cuddly, preferably plush to the touch.

Another thought came to Wotter's mind, he recalled the power went out last night. He looked up at the ceiling lights, they were burning bright, showing no signs of any defects. Woody must've gotten them back on. Just exactly what happened yesterday? There was a blackout, followed by something landing on the roof. Wotter hadn't gave much thought about it then, he was too preoccupied to care about anything else.

_Might as well care now or never, _he thought.

The Discipline Pokémon stepped out of the bunker, he found Fort Wernher bustling with activity. The PRA were everywhere picking up green leaves and broken tree branches. Pokémon scraped off green leaves off the walls, scooping then up in trash bags, then hauling them off to a fire pit. Wotter watched as one Pokémon dropped a bag and dumped it into a fire pit. Cinder and smoke bloomed into the sky, the air smelled like a forest fire. Wotter closed the door behind them and started off toward the command center, wanting some answers. Just when he was mid-way toward the command bunker, a picture of hailstones flashed in his eyes.

_Oh, _Wotter thought. _The storm._

"_Wotter," _said Nobark's voice.

He turned and found Nobark jogging toward him. The Hoodlum Pokémon appeared calm and in control, and something was on his mind. He stopped before Wotter, then said, _"I have a task for you tonight."_

Wotter nodded. _"What for, exactly?"_

Before Nobark could explain, something splintered behind Wotter. He jumped, it was so loud it pierced his ears. He turned back toward the elite bunker just in time to see Scout knocking down a trunk-size branch off its roof. It hit the ground with a thud, leaves flied everywhere as it came to a rest at the side of the building.

Wotter asked, _"What happened last night?"_

"_We had a storm," _said Nobark. _"A pretty bad one to be exact. Woody is surveying the damage, but for the most part the buildings are okay."_

"_We had any casualties?" _Wotter asked.

Nobark sighed, _"Swoo III is dead, a gust of wind scooped him up and impaled him to a tree."_

"_Ouch." _

"_Swoo IV broke her wing from that same gust of wind, but she lived. She won't be flying any time soon, however," _then Nobark said, _"Now the task for tonight is simple, there shouldn't be much attention until you get the job done."_

"_Shouldn't be much?" _Wotter asked.

"_I'm sending you out with Tesla to assassinate Chief Hattricks in Soho."_

Wotter blinked, he had done assassination missions before but never this one close to home. Nobark's eyes remained calm, Wotter adverted his. Exactly what was the Scrafty thinking? Getting into Soho was hard enough, getting out would be even harder once the police discovered Hattricks was dead. Just how could he pull it off? How would Tesla pull it off?

"_You're up to the challenge?" _Nobark asked.

_Challenge, _Wotter thought. First Nobark said it was a _task, _then a _challenge. _He didn't say it was a _mission_. So was this a mission for Tesla? Is he sending a Pokémon thirty or forty-something years his senior out into a war zone? Wotter didn't ask. Instead he simply nodded and said, _"Sure, I'm up to the challenge."_

"_Great," _said Nobark. _"You still know the ways in and out of Soho?"_

"_I hadn't been out there in years, I'm not sure if they hadn't patched those entry points yet."_

"_Then go out there and scout for one, find a potential entry point and check to see if travel is feasible. Then report back here, simple enough?"_

"_Yes," _said Wotter. _"Now if I found an entry point and there's a grate over it, then what?"_

"_Woody's acetylene torch should help," _said Nobark. _"It'll cut through most forms of metal."_

Wotter had used his acetylene torch before, but he never really trusted it. The brass tip was charred and corroded, and the tanks were flaked and rusted. Somehow Woody got gasoline over the tanks, making an already hazardous tool more dangerous. Another part of Nobark actually never trusted it, he asked Woody to clean the tanks and he did. Sort of.

It looked like that part of Nobark wasn't active. Oh well, it wasn't like Wotter was going to cut sheets of metal with the acetylene torch anyway. He said, _"Sounds like a plan, I'll get it done."_

"_Do that," _said Nobark. _"I'll brief Tesla while you're away, he will appreciate it."_

_I bet he will, _Wotter thought, but didn't say.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	33. Chapter 33

_Chapter 33_

Tesla walked in circles around Fort Wernher. First he walked around the perimeter, then he walked inside the base. When Pokémon asked him what he was doing, he would say he was looking for weak points in the fence made by the storm.

That was exactly what he was doing, but for a different reason.

Nobark was either getting close to having a mental breakdown or not. Either way, Tesla had let this ploy gone far too long. He needed to get his friends out of Fort Wernher and take them back to Soho. An escape route was needed, the opportunity to go back to Soho through a tunnel was more than a blessing, it doubled the chance of his and his friends' survival. Tesla pictured himself running through the woods with arrows and bullets flying over his head, Ash and his own friends running all over the place, Mark spinning around and putting bullets in their pursuers. The run should be brief, so Tesla had to carefully pick a route where it provides the most cover. A straight line to Soho wasn't option, they might have to loop north or south, then do a one-eighty curve toward Soho. No matter how the route is drawn, it must end at Soho regardless.

But Tesla couldn't leave, not just yet. He needed to take out the last Swoobat.

Swoo I, the most senior of the Swoobats. Tesla hadn't seen him for days, and nobody had mentioned seeing him before or after the storm. Tesla wondered if Swoo I had been blown away by the winds, maybe even got impaled like Swoo III. Tesla didn't know if Swoo I was smart enough to take cover, he hadn't checked-in yet. Unless Tesla can confirm Swoo I was dead or incapacitated, he would need to take him into account. The old Pikachu figured out a plan to take care of him. He glanced at the warehouse, the windows still boarded and black. Woody stored most of the food in a room that may have once held all sorts of hazardous fuels. Unlike the other bunkers, which were made out of solid concrete, the warehouse had a sheet-metal skin. Had that branch dropped on the warehouse instead of the elite bunker, the roof would have caved in and compromised the entire building.

Maybe it was already compromised. The warehouse had a lot of rust. For sheet metal, rust means a potential hole. Made worse by the storm, whatever weak point that existed became more apparent. Even if Woody hadn't noticed it then, a thorough investigation would sniff it out. Tesla counted on it, the PRA was bright enough to figure things out, assuming they have their noses in the right place. He would need to have them focus themselves here, while he does more damage elsewhere.

Tesla approached the warehouse, he stepped up to the garage and stared at it. Woody would never lock doors, he put a lot of trust in his fellow brethren. Besides, the PRA had a common goal, and so they must share resources for that common goal. _What's mine is yours and yours is mine,_ they would say.

The old Pikachu took a quick glance around Fort Wernher. The PRA was still busy cleaning up Fort Wernher, paying no particular attention to him. Besides, they had gotten so use of seeing him their eyes just look the other way. And they know his potential, they were not willing to test him. The Mouse Pokémon grabbed the garage handle and pulled, the garage groaned and squealed, managing to open just a crack. Tesla got his hands underneath the gap and used whatever strength his little body had. The garage door gave and opened a space for him to crawl through. Tesla got down and rolled underneath, then got up and pulled down on the door. It slammed shut without offering much resistance.

Tesla turned around and found Woody sitting on his cot. Surrounding him were laptops and their packaging. Power strips and extension cords ran everywhere, snaking along the floor, burrowing their heads into whatever available plug outlet they could find. The Muscular Pokémon himself gave Tesla a curiously look. The old Pikachu said nothing, he just stared back, giving him a chance to respond.

He did, and he said, _"Can you help me with this, Tesla?"_

_ "With what?" _Tesla asked in Pokémon speech.

_"These laptops are so advance, I can't figure them out. They have a different interface of some kind. You happen to know computers?"_

_ "I indeed do, my trainer trained me to work on computers more than Pokémon battling."_

Tesla walked up to Woody and looked over his shoulder, the Muscular Pokémon pressed a button on one of the laptops, revealing a purple screen with square and rectangular icons. _"What's this?" _he asked.

_"The start menu," _said Woody. _"These icons are called apps, or shortcuts to programs on the desktop."_

_ "What computer is this?"_

_ "Nintendo Aspire, supposedly the best kind out there."_

_ "Never heard of it."_

Woody said, _"Nintendo bought out the company that made it, even the company that makes the software. They did immediate changes to the operating system, they had the best human minds worked at it for years. This is what they came up with."_

Then Woody added, _"And I don't know how to make sense of it."_

Tesla moved Woody's hand aside and took over the mouse. He moved the cursor around to get a sense of where it is, then he clicked on an app. It pulled back the start menu and revealed a loading screen, seconds later a message popped up asking him if he wanted to buy it.

_"The computer doesn't have most of the apps displayed on the start menu," _said Woody.

_"Why is that?"_

He shrugged. _"Advertisement."_

Tesla moved the cursor toward the left side of the screen, he unintentionally pulled up a menu bar of some kind. On it was an icon that showed the miniature version of the start menu. _"You can open up multiple apps and run them all at once, and you can go back to them with just a click."_

Tesla asked, _"How do I go back to the start menu?"_

_ "I don't know, I just press this button. But there's more than one way to do it."_

Woody pressed a button on the keyboard that had the Nintendo logo on it, it quickly took him back to the start menu.

_"Now what are you trying to look for?" _Tesla asked.

_"The control panel, the anti-virus software, stuff like that. I just can't find them, everything's moved around in there. Heck, I can't even find the accessories."_

_ "Have you tried using the search bar?"_

_ "I don't even know where that is."_

Woody's voice sounded stress, his eyes hinting fatigue. The Muscular Pokémon must have been at this for a while, he had yet to have a break. Tesla moved the cursor around the edges of the screen, looking for something to pop up. He ran the cursor around the top right corner of the screen and it pulled up another menu bar, this one pulling up the clock, along with five other access points to other places in the computer. At the top of the access points was a magnifying glass, and underneath it was the word _Search, _plainly labeled in an easy-to-read format. Tesla frowned, he hovered the cursor over the icon and asked, _"Does the magnifying glass tell you anything?"_

Woody's eyes bulge open, _"Motherf*cker, it was right there the whole time!?"_

At the bottom of the row of access points was a gear, neatly labeled _Settings. _Tesla clicked on it and pulled up a menu of lists and icons. It had everything, such as the _Control Panel _and _PC Settings_.

Woody lowered his head.

_"Don't beat yourself up over this, Woody," _said Tesla. _"Computers change all the time."_

_ "It's not that, I've been outsmarted by a computer that can't think."_

_ "You're just used to complex things," _said Tesla. _"The programmers had designed this interface to be simple, the icons and apps more obvious. All you had to do was move the cursor here to pull up a list instead of going through a maze of programs to find what you need."_

Woody groaned, _"I feel stupid."_

_ "You're not stupid, you were just away from all this for a while now."_

The Muscular Pokémon rubbed his temples and sighed, _"Everything changes so fast, and it scares me. When I first walked in here seeing this whole workshop cleaned out, I honestly thought I was in the wrong place. I thought it wasn't my place, because everything was stripped out and replaced with something new."_

_ "You said you wanted new tools when we went on that raid," _said Tesla.

_"I didn't say new models. I didn't expect screwdrivers and hammers and shovels to replace their wooden handles with carbon fibers and plastic. And these rubber grips, they don't feel so solid."_

_ "The rubber grips are supposed to absorb the shock so you wouldn't damage your hand."_

_ "How do I gauge how much force I putting in if I slam a hammer on a nail if the rubber absorbs the feedback?"_

_ "Just pay attention to how deep the nail goes in."_

_ "I was trained to do it on automatic, I don't pay attention to the nail unless it gets bent in the wrong position."_

Woody stood up, his eyes filling up with tears, _"Excuse me, I need to step out for a moment. This is all too much."_

The Muscular Pokémon whimpered under his breath as he walked toward the regular door, he yanked it open and stepped out, slamming it behind him. The thud echoed madly into the warehouse floor for a short few seconds, then went back to the creaks and groans of the background. Tesla simply shut off the computer and closed the laptop lid. He sat there on the cot for a moment, staring out into the warehouse floor. Once Nobark blows up, there won't be going back. Changes in technology happens years at a time, but this major change will happen instantly. Woody was already depressed about new softwares and operating systems, there was no telling how the PRA would react if their lives were destroyed.

_Will they too, go mad? _Tesla thought.

Maybe some, but not all. But that won't matter, because it would only take an insane Nobark to get them to all do insane things.

Like fighting for a cause he knows he cannot win.

Tesla stood up and stretched and head toward the back room. The gasoline and oil smell was still there, and so was the food. The old Pikachu picked up a can and examined it. He found grease on the bottom. Tesla smelled it. Motor oil. The Mouse Pokémon looked around the room. He spotted disk marks in dry oil stains. At some point, Woody had them laying on the floor. No telling what chemicals made those stains, but Tesla knew they had to be toxic, and that gave him the perfect cover.

He head back into the workshop and searched Woody's workbench. Tesla recalled seeing all sorts of old tools lying here and there. Now they were all gone, replaced by the latest tools, hanging off of hooks on the walls. Woody hadn't kept a single old tool. Everything was replaced. Even the metal clamp that was built into the workbench was replaced. Tesla went through the drawers and found nothing but nails and staples, all new of course. He went up to a shelf that was against the wall and opened a cardboard box. The box was filled with rolls of duct tape, all new, never before used. Tesla grabbed a roll, it might prove useful later.

Then he turned to Woody's main workbench and found something of interest. Pushed up against the wall was a greasy black plastic can, it looked like might hold tobacco chew. Tesla never really had a taste for cigarettes or tobacco chew. He had already lost most of his teeth, tobacco chew would do further damage by destroying his jaw. He heard of cases where tobacco tar had built up in people's arteries and caused heart attacks. Unbelievably they were banned by the world government and made illegal to be mentioned in public schools. Smoking or chewing tobacco could land one in twenty years or more in prison, in some provinces it could land life with half a billion dollar parole. The tobacco looked like it was bought before the ban, which made sense. It was around Tesla's time, before his heyday really began, when smoking or chewing nicotine was banned. But what didn't made sense was that it had a modern bar code. Big bars, small numbers – not the small bars, big numbers in Tesla's day.

Tesla climbed up on the workbench and picked up the can, then checked the label. Oh, it wasn't tobacco at all.

It was rat poison.

All rodents and pests Pokémon knew what rat poison is. When it first came out it was added to bait and placed around homes to kill off pests. Mice Pokémon died in great numbers from rat poison. What it does was thin the blood to the point where it couldn't clot, the victim would then bleed to death from inside-out. Tesla's mother made it clear to _know _what rat poison is and stay clear of it, she had lost an aunt to rat poison once.

_Well, Mama, _Tesla thought. _I'm sorry to say that I need to break your word for this._

Tesla opened up the can to see how much rat poison it had. It was full to the brim. The old Pikachu sealed it back up and grabbed a paper bag. He stuck the duct tape and the can of rat poison inside, then jumped down from the work bench. _How does Woody manage these benches? _Tesla thought.

He stepped out of the warehouse and carried the bag to the command bunker. Tesla scanned the base for any sign of Woody. The Timburr was nowhere in sight. Either he was in the infirmary or with Nobark, complaining about his grief. If he was at the command bunker, Tesla better hustle up and get the bag stashed underneath the bed. Again, nobody paid any particular attention to him. The Pokémon either went about their business or continued cleaning up the mess caused by the storm.

Tesla stepped into the command bunker and walked to his room. He then reached into the bag and grabbed the duct tape, then stuck the rat poison underneath the bed. He then opened up Mark's backpack, squeezed the duct tape between the wads of cash, then he lifted up the mattress and grabbed the Desert Eagle, the silenced .22 pistol, and their spare ammunition. He stuck them in the backpack too.

The old Pikachu zipped up the backpack and put it on. The backpack was heavy with the cash and guns, Tesla didn't mind, he didn't plan on traveling far. He sneaked out the back of the command center, then looped around toward the human jail. Tesla moved fast, hoping that the green fabric of the backpack would cover up some of his yellow fur. No one raised alarm by the time he made it to the jail. Tesla stepped into the human jail and walked up to Mark's cell, he removed the latched and opened it.

Inside, Tesla found the side wall of the cell was covered with square roots, apparently etched with chalk or stone. It went from the square root of two to the square root of fifty. They were legible, neatly organized in vertical rows. Mark himself sat on the concrete bench. His eyes closed. His hands propped on his knees.

"Mark?" Tesla called out to him.

Mark's eyes flickered open. He glanced at Tesla, his eyes were blank, covered with dark circles. He looked worse for wear, his body was breaking down, but his spirit seemed to be shrugging it off like it was normal.

"I couldn't remember last night," he said. "I think I blanked out."

"We had a storm the other day," said Tesla.

Mark chuckled, "That explains why the lights went out, I thought I was going mad."

Tesla slid the backpack off his back and placed it by the foot of the concrete bed. "Here," he said. "I have some things for you, don't ask me anything until I get you out of here."

"Sure," he said. "By the way, how's my Pokémon?"

"They're doing fine, they're still thinking about you. They hadn't really integrated themselves with the PRA, they're very shy."

"They've never been around other Pokémon besides themselves," said Mark.

"Ain't that obvious."

Mark asked, "When am I getting out of here?"

"Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow," said Tesla. "You might have to shoot your way out of here."

"I was trained in the army to shoot my way out of sh*t, I went to POW school for crying out loud."

"Mark, my friend, I can tell you right now that POW school is going to pay off. But escape might be unpredictable, I can't control when Nobark loses his sh*t."

Mark swung his legs onto the concrete bed and folded his hands back. "Yeah, that's what we're waiting for. Absolute insanity setting in."

Tesla nodded. "Hang in there, Mark."

The old Pikachu closed the cell door and relatched it, then left.

**. . .**

Cabot's Emolga looked on as Bubbles sat alone. Nobody paid any particular attention to her. She was just a void that took up space, nothing special. Her pink sprite colors had lost whatever affect they had. To him, Bubbles was still special. The Sky Squirrel had not much luck with the PRA either. The Joltik was his only friend, Wotter was a bully, and everybody else had mixed feelings, depending on the mood. Emolga wanted friends. Someone to talk to, at least. He didn't wanna go on being scared for the rest of his life. He didn't wanna be paranoid, he didn't wanna be afraid. He wanted to be social and live through a single day enjoying life. The Tesla character proved to be a benefit to the group, but he was scary and mean to individuals. The way he put the living fear of Arceus in him by making lights flicker on and off, as if he can bend the elements and energies around him like some sort of god. Emolga squeezed his eyes shut, the memory still burning a firestorm in his brain.

He opened his eyes and took a deep breath, then got up and approached Bubbles.

The Sea Otter Pokémon took no interest in him, but was polite to move over. Emolga sat down beside her, then said, _"He got you too, did he."_

That was no question, and Bubbles knew it. She nodded her head, saying nothing.

_"It messed me up when he did it to me," _said Emolga. _"I couldn't think straight, I don't know if I was scared or I liked it. I was confused, and that scared me the most."_

Bubbles said nothing.

_"I'm barely hanging on too, Bubbles. I don't know how long I could stand being near Wotter and Smugleaf. They both chiseled their influences into our minds, as if they are trying to compete with each other. Do you know what it feels like to have them . . . touch you?"_

Bubbles twirled her thumbed, then took a deep breath. _"Like they own you?"_

_ "Exactly, like they own us."_

The Oshawott looked up at Emolga, her eyes watering. _"I wanna get out of here."_

_ "I do too," _said Emolga.

_"But I don't know where to go, everything I know is gone."_

_ "Same thing for me, I don't have a home anymore."_

_ I have a lot in common with her, _Emolga thought. Both their trainers were killed by the same Pokémon, who later personally abused them and treated them like toys. Emolga was lucky Wotter hadn't done more harm to him, but it seemed that he went to town on Bubbles. The Oshawott had no hope left. All she saw was a blight future ahead of her. Emolga would see the same thing, but he couldn't. He knew there were people out there who care about Pokémon like him, people who would feed them, bathe them, mend their wounds, and offer their shoulders for occasional grief. He got almost nothing in common with the brown-furred Emolga, who was fat and lazy, and her trainer was still living. Bubbles was the opposite as her. The Sea Otter had suffered, the other Sky Squirrel had not.

_"You're not alone, Bubbles," _said Emolga. _"I'm with you in this."_

Bubbles wiped her nose with an arm, then nodded. _"You can't protect me, you're no match for Pokémon like Smugleaf and Wotter."_

_ "But I'm not going to sit there and do nothing," _said Emolga.

That earned Bubbles a smile, _"That's the most reassuring thing I've heard in a while."_

Cabot's Emolga held up an arm, but hesitated. He didn't want to make her squeamish. But Bubbles didn't seem to mind, she simply leaned her head on his shoulder and hugged his chest. _"Thank you," _said Bubbles.

The Sky Squirrel blushed. _"My pleasure."_

**. . .**

Tesla went back to the command bunker and peaked in the den, just in time to see Nobark step out of his room. "Tesla," he called out. "Good news."

"What is it, Nobark?"

"Wotter found a way into Soho, but he's going to need your help getting through."

"Okay."

Nobark took Tesla's hand and stuck a note in it, "Here's Hattricks's address, I wouldn't try to take him out at the police station if I were you."

"Let me guess, you've tried."

"And failed."

Tesla rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the advice," then he asked, "How's Smugleaf, by the way?"

"I haven't checked up on her," said Nobark.

Tesla crunched the note in his hand as he turned and headed toward the den. He opened up the door. There she was, lying on the table, with Mark's Pokémon looking on. Smugleaf looked like she had lain there for hours. Her face was peaceful, yet her eyes looked dried out. She had both her good and broken arms spread out, her legs hanged off the side like wet noodles. Mark's Pokémon stared at her, as if they were watching paint dry. Emolga looked up at Tesla, her face was filled with confusion and worry. How long had Smugleaf been like this?

Tesla shut the door and turned to Nobark, "How often do you ask her about her background?"

"Almost never," said Nobark. "Why?"

"She doesn't like to live like this, Nobark. She's just like Bubbles, Smugleaf can't hold herself together. That's why she mated and touched all those Pokémon. The Snivy was trying to fill it with love, and of course, sex is not love."

"That's a temporary solution."

Tesla raised an eyebrow, "If you know that, then how come you don't do much about it?"

"I was hoping someone else might do it," then Nobark said, "I'm not an expert of relationships, Tesla. I don't even know how to have a proper girlfriend."

"Med don't count?"

Nobark frowned. "I liked Med, but it's not love. She knows that."

Then Tesla asked, "Remember when Irvin died, we all just lost it?"

The entire Westinghouse Army fell apart practically overnight when Irvin's death was made official. Their friends, some of whom who had been with Irvin for decades, suffered from three fates: Suicide, exile, insanity, or seek out a new trainer. Tesla chose exile, while Nobark chose insanity. The Mouse Pokémon was sure Medic had secured a new job, she had talked about it the night before Tesla himself ran away. He wondered how well she adjusted, and if she was still living. The fate of the others were anyone's guess.

"I have occasional flashbacks," said Nobark.

"So do I," said Tesla. "The difference between us and Smugleaf is that we had our lives, she never had hers."

"Do you regret scaring her? And breaking her arm?"

Tesla said without hesitation, "I have no regrets, because they are elsewhere," then he added, "And so are yours."

Nobark looked away for a moment, sighing.

Then his eyes shot open.

"You're on to something?" Tesla asked.

"I think I know what's wrong. Oh, f*ck, I feel so stupid not to address it!"

"What's wrong?"

"The PRA does not have a culture!"

"Culture?"

"Yes, culture!"

"What does culture got to do with anything?"

Nobark grabbed Tesla's shoulders and shook him. "The PRA does not have a culture, practically no moral sense of . . . anything . . . is holding it together! We only have a common cause, but no common sense!"

"Smugleaf is producing some culture from her writing," said Tesla. "I'm not sure if she had done any writing lately, but it is something."

"Not enough," said Nobark. "Those books you brought in from the raid might help us all in general, they have substances, ideas. Maybe something in books would give us some sort of culture."

"But they would be reading books that were generated from an outside source, not books that were written by other PRA members. For books to work, Nobark, you will need to have the PRA turn out their own works of literature, and art."

"But most of the PRA can't read."

"Then teach them. Teach them how to read, how to write. Break this vicious cycle you've been stirring up for the last fifteen years and you will achieve credibility for your cause."

Nobark thought for a moment. "We used to have porn in our early days, generated by our own. However the machines that make them broke and whatever porn we had got worn out."

"Porn doesn't have any substance."

"But it can be an art if done right."

"Painted, yes. Photographed, no."

Nobark patted Tesla on the shoulder. "I'll be right back. Tesla, take Wotter with you and take care of that thorn in my side. I'm going to find Woody and create some culture, those USB sticks from our days should help."

Tesla nodded, "You go do that, Nobark. It would be a good precedent for the PRA to have."

Nobark rushed passed Tesla and ran out the door, when it slammed shut the old Pikachu shook his head. _"Culture," _he said in Pokémon speech. _"Why not?"_

**. . .**

Wotter sat on a rock at a small creek, a beer bottle clamped to his hand. Large trees that were fifty to sixty years old tower over him, providing some shade from the sun. Unlike Fort Wernher, where it was deafly quiet, birds chirped in abundance around the creek. Their tones and clicks and whistles reverberated around the forest. Wotter had studied the birds for years, he knew all the calls. He hadn't heard any warning chirps or frantic squawks, which told Wotter that no potential threat was nearby. Pidoves were worthless when it comes to brains, but their later evolutions were more reliable. Wotter listened and heard the Pidoves in the distance, cooing and gargling their throats. Dumb birds, worse than sh*tdicks.

Before Wotter was the entrance to an old storm drain. It was capped with a rusted wrought iron grate. The drain was connected to the creek around a horseshoe curve. Apparently when the creek floods, the excess water was supposed to go through Soho and out into the sea. Wotter wasn't sure if the human engineers who built the drain had also grated the passageways into Soho. Make sense if they had. Wotter had been in drains where any access into Soho was either grated or blocked off with concrete. Now _that _would be a major obstacle. He could get through grates with no problems with Woody's acetylene torch, but not concrete barriers. No, he would need a ground-type to dig through that. But that won't happen, as the noise and vibrations would be detected by Soho's seismographs.

Wotter stared at the drain. Challenges like these pissed him off. Get the sequence wrong and you have to start all over. Get it right and you have to do another one that is three times harder. In this case, there were grates that probably weigh twenty-five to fifty kilograms. As strong as he was, he couldn't steady a fifty kilogram grate that stands a meter tall. It would kick back and gash his thigh, it almost happened to him before. _I hate grates_, he thought.

The Discipline Pokémon downed the rest of his beer until he tasted air. It was about time to head back and report his findings. Wotter threw the bottle into the creek. It struck a rock and exploded, the shards mixing into the gravel and disappearing in the stream. Wotter stretched his legs, the trip back shouldn't take him too long. He had enough energy left in him for a return trip. Since he was going to do this thing tonight, he better take a nap after telling Nobark the news. _Sleep when you can, while you can, _the motto of the PRA goes.

Wotter popped his joints and started off into the woods. Little did he know, it would be the last time he would go walking through the woods alone.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	34. Chapter 34

_Chapter 34_

Tesla gotten a hold of a bowl and filled it with food. He wasn't sure what a Swoobat would like, so he chose food that was liked by general Pokémon. He grabbed a can of brown rice, pulled the tab of its lid, and dumped it into the bowl. Then he dabbed it with olive oil to give it protein. Tesla was no chef, nor was he picky at what he eats. He would eat it at a regular night, preferably heated though. The old Pikachu stirred it with a wooden spoon, mixing the olive oil in the brown rice. He smelled it, the smell of earth wavered into his nose.

Now came the rat poison.

The old Pikachu didn't need much, he just scooped up a tiny piece of rat poison weighing roughly a gram, then mixed it into the brown rice. For some reason the rat poison smelled like gasoline, maybe someone had spilled gas on it at one time. The olive oil should mask the smell, and besides, he didn't put much in it anyway. Rat poison is potent stuff, the gram Tesla had stirred into the brown rice would be enough to kill five Pichus. He then stuck the lid back on the rat poison, then sat it among the cans where he found the brown rice. If the PRA decide to do a little investigating, they would find it and conclude that Swoo I's death was accidental. However that would bring fears that their food supply was contaminated. Another nail to Fort Wernher's coffin. Another letter etched into Nobark's tombstone.

Tesla scooped up the bowl of rice and went out through the warehouse floor. The relatively good lights shined a little brighter. Some lights that were once off flickered back to life, they flashed and buzzed, struggling to stay on. The warehouse floor was a little brighter, though it wasn't necessary. Tesla had good night vision for only five meters in near darkness, and five meters was all he needs. When he reached the back door, all the active lights in the warehouse floor went dead. None showed no signs of turning on again.

Tesla opened the door and stepped out into the forest. There was still enough sunlight lighting up the forest. The old Pikachu roughly recalled the general area where the Swoobats would fly around. If Swoo I was around, then he would be in that general area. If not, then Tesla had wasted brown rice and rat poison for nothing. He scanned the trees and vegetation for Pokémon who might be watching. Nothing visible. No shaking branches or snapped twigs. Just him and the forest, with everybody else inside Fort Wernher's fence. The old Pikachu got a move on, he had little time to lose. His carried the Pokémon bowl through the forest, his nose high in the air. It was still. He could barely get a scent from anything besides himself. Tesla kept his ears perked. If Swoo I is still active, the Mouse Pokémon was sure he could pick up the tiny sonic pings from his sonar.

He listened, the whole world momentary went silent.

And then he heard a ping.

It didn't sound like a ping, more like a pop. Tesla went straight toward the direction of the ping. Again, he scanned the forest for potential spies. Again, he saw nothing. The old Pikachu took a deep breath and listened. Another ping. This time louder. Tesla pushed on, holding up the bowl to make way through the vegetation. He stepped over rocks and fallen branches and navigated his way toward the pings.

He found Swoo I leaning against a tree. The Courting Pokémon was crying for some time, maybe for hours. The Swoobat looked worse for wear. His fur was matted with mud and chlorophyll, his face stained with dried tears. He was in no shape to do his duties, but Tesla needed to be sure. When he approached, Swoo I looked up. The Swoobat didn't smile, but his face showed relief. _"Are you okay?" _Tesla asked.

_"No," _he said.

_"What happened?"_

_ "My friends are gone."_

Tesla asked, _"Gone?"_

Swoo I nodded. _"Swoo II is missing. Swoo III is dead. Swoo IV is hurt. It's all on me now to keep a lookout, and I can't do it."_

Tesla sat the bowl in front of Swoo I, the Courting Pokémon merely stared at it. _"Did you try?" _Tesla asked.

_"Yes, I've tried. I flew and scanned until I burned out, then I crashed here."_

_ "You dropped out of the sky?"_

Swoo I looked away. _"I am so tired."_

Tesla gave Swoo I a hug. Swoo I pressed his head against Tesla's chest, then sobbed. Tesla patted his back and let him cry for a few minutes. When the crying died down, he said, _"You need to eat, Swoo I. To get your strength back up. No one isn't going to rip your head off if you fail to do your duties, I won't let them."_

_ "Really?" _he asked.

_"Nobark wouldn't get ten meters when I make a decision final."_

Swoo I sighed, then he said, _"Everyone seems to be afraid of you."_

_ "Had a hard life, pretty much one of the reasons why the world has Pokémon resistance groups. I'm pretty much a sole example of a Pokémon who suffered humanity's wrath. They don't wanna become me."_

_ "That's too late for a few."_

_ "Wotter?"_

_ "Yup, Wotter. The Discipline Pokémon scares the fur off of me," _then Swoo I said, _"During the storm, I heard him rape Bubbles. I could hear her muffled scream. But I couldn't do anything, I was pinned by the storm."_

Tesla asked, _"Where did you take cover?" _

_ "In the ditch, I curled myself around a stone and hanged on for dear life."_

Tesla stroked his head, then he asked, _"Do you agree with Nobark's methods?"_

Swoo I said nothing.

_"I'm guessing that's a no?"_

Swoo I closed his eyes, _"I don't even know if he _is _Nobark anymore."_

_ "His left hand doesn't know what his right hand is doing," _said Tesla. _"I kicked his ass to fix up his PRA and all the trash that was piled around was gone. Next thing I knew he had my friends divided and locked up, they risk execution if I don't do anything."_

_ "You're going to try to get them out?"_

Tesla nodded, _"Yes, somehow. But the end result could be ugly."_

Swoo I shrugged. _"I don't know what to do if he goes into a meltdown. He has the PRA from all over Unova coming here to launch an assault on Soho, it's going to be a massacre. This isn't what I signed up for, but I can't bare committing treason," _Swoo I buried his face into Tesla's chest, _"I don't know what to do."_

Loyalty. That was all the Swoobats knew. Without loyalty, they had nothing holding themselves together. Take loyalty away and they would drop, fester, and wither away till they were only skin and bones. A lot of Pokémon in human captivity were trained for loyalty, some were even bred to be loyal. They receive a command, they execute it. No questions asked. That was loyalty. Irvin had been stern to his Pokémon about loyalty. Only Tesla resisted, cause he was the basis of that loyalty. No Pokémon would dare challenge Irvin because Tesla was there to be sure they wouldn't. But the old Pikachu did not wish to believe it, because that was not how he saw it. The PRA and WA were similar to the other. They both had a leader to look up to, to follow. Challenging that leader would threaten the integrity of the group, and so it was not tolerated. Tesla had proved to be a more effective leader than Nobark. However, a change in power would threaten to dissolve the PRA, unless he _persuade _the PRA to be loyal to him.

Tesla said, _"Swoo I, are you afraid?"_

_ "I'm terrified," _he said.

_"Do you wish not to be afraid?"_

Swoo I nodded, _"Yes, I don't want to be afraid anymore."_

Tesla lifted Swoo I up, their noses barely touching. He said, _"The coming days will be bad, there's no way any of us can hold them off for much longer. Nobark will lose his mind, and when he does he is going to rally up the PRA and launch them against Soho. He is already locating a weapons stash and he may have a powerful weapon of mass destruction lying around. This isn't going to be a Pokémon battle, Swoo I. This is going to be a conflict, people and Pokémon alike will die no matter what we do."_

The old Pikachu shrugged, he pressed his forehead against Swoo I's chin and added, _"It's all my fault. This was years in the making. I should have let my trainer euthanize Nobark. Now Nobark is gone, the monster within him has hijacked his body. I cannot save him, he knows this. His own system is failing and the law is on his tail. He wants to go down in a blaze of glory, rather than letting old age cripple him."_

Swoo I wheezed, barely containing his fear, _"What are you going to do, Tesla?"_

Tesla looked at him in the eye, then he said, _"I'm not going to let him take you, my friends, and his inner circle down with him. All of you have a life to live, no one should suffer this much."_

The forest went silent. The sun was already setting, the forest grew darker by the minute. Tesla sat Swoo I down, then kicked the bowl of brown rice aside. Before Swoo I could ask why, the old Pikachu quickly turn back to him and said, _"I need you to find a human being named Rex Anderson. He is a Pokémon doctor and a soldier. He's here to help me put an end to this madness."_

_ "Where is he?" _Swoo I asked.

_"Soho, Carbondale, Springfield, somewhere in those three towns. Ash had said that Rex was looking for Mark, so if he is still around, my best bet is Carbondale. I need you to go look for him and get him to meet me at the Carbondale Pokémon Center, before the sun comes up tomorrow. Tell him I may be way early, depending on how fast the Soho night mission goes. Can you do that?"_

_ "H-how can I convince him? He can't understand a word we say."_

_ "Get down on your knees and beg him for mercy. Convince his Pokémon, and you will convince their trainer."_

Swoo I nodded. _"Okay, just what does he look like?"_

_ "He might have changed his clothing, so I'm not sure if he looks the same. Can you detect injuries on humans and Pokémon?"_

_ "Injuries? Heck, injuries are ripe with nerve pulses!"_

_ "He has an old war wound on his left forearm. If you detect the pulse on a man with that old war wound, then it's him. He has a Pichu and Raichu named Volts and Sara, convince them to get Rex to wait at the Pokémon Center and we'll be in business."_

_ "Okay, I can do that. I know I can do that."_

Tesla rubbed Swoo I's shoulders. _"I'm sorry for what happened to your friends. If you need motivation, tell yourself you're doing this for them. Swoo IV cannot fly, her wing is broken. She is helpless and is in an increasingly unstable environment. Find Rex, so she won't perish in it."_

The old Pikachu let go, Swoo I staggered back. He grabbed his chest with his foot, sweating profusely. _"This is all too much."_

_ "No, you're exaggerating. I had to do tasks like this all the time. It's just going from Point A to Point B, nothing to it."_

_ "But Point B is on the move."_

_ "And you will be flying. Right now, you own the sky around Fort Wernher, Soho, Carbondale, and Springfield. I am the authority above Nobark, and I order you to get a move on as of this minute. You have plenty of time to think once you're airborne."_

The Courting Pokémon got to his feet, he stretched his wings and took a deep breath. _"Be careful, Tesla."_

_ "Don't worry about me, I can handle yourself."_

_ "I hope so."_

Swoo I leaped up into the air and flapped his wings, Tesla watched as he plowed through the tree canopy and disappeared. The old Pikachu waited for a full minute to see if Swoo I would come back. He didn't. Tesla turned and head back to Fort Wernher. He left the bowl where it was, no need for it now. _And in the end it was a waste, _Tesla thought. _Oh well, I didn't really wanna kill Swoo I anyway._

**. . .**

Wotter stirred on his bed and woke up. He glanced at the clock, it was eleven something in the evening. Time to get up. The Discipline Pokémon swung his legs over the bed and stood up, then stepped out of the elite bunker. The sky was pitch black. No moon. No stars. Either it was clouds or light pollution from human civilization, he wasn't sure. Nonetheless, the blackened sky was perfect conditions for tonight's mission. Lights were on all over Fort Wernher. Wotter blinked, he still hadn't gotten used to the lights. For some reason the lights gave off some sort of glare. Maybe they were a little too bright for him, or maybe they glowed just fine. Wotter squinted his eyes, he managed to catch a glimpse of the warehouse. Its outdoor lights were dark. Was Woody home?

Home or not, he needed that acetylene torch.

Wotter made his way across the grass courtyard and approached the warehouse door. Just when he got close, the door opened and Tesla stepped out. The old Pikachu stood at the doorway and lifted an eyebrow. Wotter showed nothing. He simply stood there, holding his ground.

_"Evening, Tesla," _muttered Wotter.

_"Hello, Wotter," _he said.

Wotter peaked passed Tesla and asked, _"Is Woody inside?"_

_ "I don't know where he is," _said Tesla. _"The last time I saw him was him running outside crying his eyes out."_

_ "Why?"_

_ "Computer blues."_

Wotter stared at him for a moment, then asked, _"What were you doing in there?"_

_ "Looking for Swoo I," _said Tesla. _"Had to make my way through the warehouse to get outside."_

_ "You found him?"_

_ "I sure did, he's depressed but I cheered him up."_

_ Right, _Wotter thought. _"Well, have you seen an acetylene torch lying around?"_

_ "Yeah," _said Tesla. _"You need them for tonight's mission?"_

_ "We've gotta cut through a grate to get into the storm drains, they run right underneath Soho."_

Tesla said,_ "Those tanks are big, Wotter. Even with the trolley it will be difficult to pull through the forest."_

Wotter shrugged, _"Tell me about it, I hate those things."_

Oh, of course. Those tanks weigh roughly ninety kilograms when full. No way would Wotter drag them through the forest and the storm drain, even with a trolley and support from Tesla. Wotter swore, his temper flaring up.

Then Tesla added, _"But I got a better idea."_

Wotter gave Tesla a curious look. _"How better?"_

_ "Rather simple really. I could run a current through the grate, the amperage would heat them up so much that they would melt. Then you blast them with Hydro Pump to cool off the molten slag. Easy enough."_

Wotter blinked, that was so simple that he resisted the urge to hug him. The Discipline Pokémon then asked, _"Do you know if it would work?"_

_ "I had done it before," _said Tesla. _"Remember me purging the transformers to kick-start the raid?"_

Wotter nodded. _"Yes, I do. You melted the tower you were standing on and Springfield went dark."_

_ "It's going to take a lot less effort to get through a grate, you can count on it."_

A potential burden lifted, Tesla knew how to do things more practically. The old Pikachu shut the warehouse door, then asked, _"What weapons will we be using?"_

_ "What do you think is more practical?" _Wotter asked.

_"SMGs, silenced. Do we have those?"_

_ "Yes, we do. I have one under my bed, I think Smugleaf stashed hers in the armory." _

Wotter's eyes widened. He forgotten that he and Smugleaf used those same MP5s to kill Cabot, who Tesla had trusted to take care of his great-something granddaughter. Not only did he confirmed he had such weapons, he practically confirmed his knew how to use them. Wotter expected Tesla to throw a fit, or even bring up the incident. The old Pikachu remained cool and complacent, instead of mentioning the incident he simply asked, _"With ammo?"_

_ "Plenty of ammo."_

_ "Okay, I'll go get Smugleaf's gun. Meet me at the command center once you're ready."_

_ "Alrighty then."_

Tesla turned around and walked toward the armory. Wotter watched him as he turned the corner and disappeared from sight. The Discipline Pokémon then headed back to the elite bunker, he walked inside and went straight to his bedroom where he got onto his knees. Wotter reached under his bed, he moved his hand around until he felt the sling of his MP5. He grabbed it and dragged it out, Wotter then reached under the bed and grabbed his leather backpack. He opened it up and took out gun oil and pipe cleaners, Wotter added some oil into the MP5 and began cleaning its barrel and firing mechanism. He jammed the brush deep, he couldn't afford to have the thing jam at the worst possible time. When Wotter was sure the MP5 was clean, he pulled out the magazines and ammo boxes out of his backpack and began loading them with ammunition. Wotter added a bullet in the MP5's chamber, latched it closed, then inserted the magazine. Thirty rounds plus one in the chamber, with the gun set to semi-auto the entire magazine might last him through a fire fight.

Wotter picked up the silencer and screwed it on the barrel, then aimed the gun at his trash can to check the sights. _Perfect, _he thought. _Couldn't have set it up any better._

The Discipline Pokémon sat the gun down and closed up his leather backpack, then put it on. Just when he got up, something clicked inside his head. _Oh, _he realized. _Almost forgot. _He picked the MP5 and checked the safety. It was switched to green. Good. He couldn't afford to have the damn thing go off with a live round in the chamber. Wotter wrapped the sling around his shoulder and adjusted his backpack's straps. He was good to go.

Wotter stepped out of the elite bunker and headed to the command bunker. He simply sat down against the wall and waited. Five minutes passed before Tesla showed up. He had Smugleaf's MP5 slung around his shoulders, Wotter could see the silencer was also attached. The Discipline Pokémon had no doubt that Tesla had cleaned out the gun, just how well he cleaned it remained to be seen. _"You're ready?" _Wotter asked.

_"Yup," _said Tesla. _"So where's this storm drain of yours?"_

**. . .**

Nobark discreetly leaned against the wall of the human jail, he watched Tesla and Wotter chat for five minutes. Both the Mouse and Discipline Pokémon got up and headed out to do their night mission. The Hoodlum Pokémon scooted across the wall to make himself less visible. Tesla and Wotter kept walking while muttering among themselves. Nobark was too far to hear what they were saying. He caught a few words such as _blowtorch _and _grate_, he couldn't understand the rest. No matter. They were doing their job, just like he told them to. Nobark backed off the wall and stretched his arms. He felt good tonight, which was odd. Normally he would feel sick, delusional, paranoid, or even nauseous. But not tonight, because tonight was special.

When Tesla and Wotter were out of sight, Nobark stepped out and walked toward the infirmary. Swoo IV still lying on the hospital bed, her bandaged wing carefully draped across her chest. Nobark walked passed her and approached the _Staff Only _door. He knocked, no response. Nobark knocked again, nothing. The Hoodlum Pokémon grumbled, _F*ck it, _he thought, then reached for the door knob.

The door wasn't locked, when he opened it he found Tendon laying on her cot. She was out cold, empty beer bottles lay around her while her mouth hanged open. Woody was beside her, snuggled up against her side in the fetal position. Nobark stepped up and nudged him with his toe. The Timburr stirred, he opened his eyes.

_"You're done setting up the laptops?" _Nobark asked.

Woody yawned, _"The laptops?"_

_ "Yes, the laptops. You got at least one of them working?"_

Woody blinked, then nodded. _"Yes, I got one working. I think I got one working."_

_ "Good, go get it and bring it to the command bunker," _he then asked, _"Is Tendon okay?"_

_ "She's sleeping," _said Woody. _"I think she drank too much this time."_

_ "That explains why she isn't snoring." _ Nobark said, _"Well, get up, Woody. We don't have all night, this had to be done before Tesla comes back."_

_ "Okay then."_

Nobark left the infirmary and walked back to the command bunker. He then approached the den door and opened it. Mark's Pokémon were there. They had fallen asleep, snuggled under the blankets as always. Figures, these Pokémon don't have to worry much about anything. They feel safe and sound, and weren't complaining as much. Maybe tomorrow he would move them to the barracks, where they would be fully integrated with the PRA. They had been separated from their trainer long enough that they were probably used to being on their own. But there was Tesla to take into account. Mark's Pokémon put a lot of faith in Tesla to protect them from harm. Nobark knew few Pokémon who personally got along with Tesla, let alone love him.

Smugleaf was no longer there. She wasn't snuggled up next to Emolga, nor was she lying on the coffee table. Worry crept up on Nobark. Tesla had said that he had done little to address the PRA's personal problems. He couldn't remember _ever _talking to Tendon about her drinking, Wotter about his anger issues, and Smugleaf about her lust. If he had, then the event went unrecorded. Of course, his head wasn't wired right. He had no idea which personality was active if such an event happened.

_Had any of you guys talked to anyone about their problems? _Nobark asked them.

_Yeah, _said Judgment. _Once, with Smugleaf, about fifteen years ago._

_ About?_

_ Wotter._

Nobark blinked. To him, fifteen years was a lifetime ago. Back then he was more stable, more rational. Something happened during that time that threw him off. He wasn't sure what exactly, all he knew was that after the year passed he kept blanking out, while his personalities filled him in on what happened after each session.

_F*ck it, _Nobark thought. _I better do this for once, I need to get my act together._

Judgment warned, _It may already be too late, Nobark._

Nobark ignored him, he simply stepped out of the command bunker. Once he got outside he ran straight toward the elite bunker, burst inside, and skidded to a stop at Smugleaf's door. He lost his footing and slipped, slamming his shoulder against the doorframe before collapsing on the ground. Nobark didn't bother nursing his arm, he just got up and opened the bedroom door.

The bedroom lights were on. Nobark found Smugleaf sleeping face down on her bed. Her braced arm was tucked underneath her pillow while her good arm cradled it. Bubbles was not with her. The Sea Otter's morning rant earlier still stung deeply, Nobark could tell as empty beer bottles littered the floor below her. He squatted and picked up a bottle. Dry as a bone. Nobark sighed, he sat the bottle down and turned back to Smugleaf.

Then Nobark noticed something. His one good eye caught something tucked underneath Smugleaf's pillow. Nobark squinted. It was a book, leathery, with cream-colored paper. He immediately knew what it was. Smugleaf had kept a journal. Nobark recalled the book she clutched throughout the ride back from Springfield. He recalled that Tesla had helped her get a hold of books, a lot of books. Nobark turned, they were stacked on the table, still wrapped in trash bags, apparently untouched. The Hoodlum Pokémon turned back and stared at the journal. What was she keeping in there?

Smugleaf stirred, she turned over on her back. Her journal slid out from underneath the pillow, just a centimeter away from falling. Nobark held his breath and waited. Smugleaf stayed silent, unresponsive.

The Hoodlum Pokémon reached out with his non-shaking arm and grabbed the journal, then carefully pulled it out. He stood up and exhaled, easy as pie.

Until he slipped on a beer bottle.

Nobark toppled and landed flat on his back. His heel smashed the beer bottle against the door, a thousand knives stabbed into the sole of his foot. His shoulder blade smashed another beer bottle, brown glass shards sprayed everywhere. More thorns pricked his skin. Nobark held tight to the book, taking care not to dig his fingernails into it. He smashed his elbow against the concrete floor in the process. Pain shot up his funny bone, jamming at critical, Nobark bit his teeth to hold back the scream.

He squeezed his eyes shut to prepare for Smugleaf's startled gasped and yelp, Nobark held his breath and waited. Only silence greeted him. Nobark cracked open his eyelid. Smugleaf was still asleep, undisturbed, letting out soft baby snores. The Hoodlum Pokémon relaxed. That was just stupid, he had battled Pokémon three times his size and a puny beer bottle brought him down. His shoulder and forearm hurt, his arthritis screaming. Tears started coming up, Nobark pushed them back. Crying can wait.

He sat up and checked his foot. The beer bottle was smashed across its base, the funnel and base lying next to his ankle. Nobark checked his heel. Glass shards clung to it like velcro, he saw no signs of broken skin. The same couldn't be said for his shoulder-blade. The glass shards shredded the skin badly. The bottle itself was destroyed. Its glass shards was spread out like a grenade blast. The biggest piece, the funnel, was split in two and were tossed against the wall. Nobark stood up and flexed his limbs. He checked his tail to see if it was alright, somehow it escaped injury. He could have landed on it and crushed the tip. Thank Arceus he didn't, an injury like that around his age would never heal.

Nobark checked the book, it remained unscathed. The carefully crafted leather was unblemished, completely scratch-free. He stared at the leaf symbol on the cover, for some reason he felt that there was something about the symbol that made it special. Something pure, honest even. The Hoodlum Pokémon held his head down and sighed. He just made a big mess while taking Smugleaf's precious journal. She had already had her knife taken away from her, hadn't she suffered enough? Nobark made a mental note to give her journal back, preferably before dawn comes up tomorrow. The Hoodlum Pokémon opened Smugleaf's door and stepped out, then carefully closed it to prevent him from disturbing her more.

**. . .**

_"It's quite peaceful out," _said Tesla. _"You think so Wotter?"_

Wotter said nothing.

_"Wotter, you okay?"_

_ "I'm fine," _he bluntly say.

_"You don't sound fine."_

The Discipline Pokémon marched on, Tesla followed close behind. Wotter knew the way well, he went through a pre-determined route from memory without backtracking or stopping once to get his bearings. Tesla clutched his gun. Wotter wasn't taking any pre-cautions. He didn't stop occasionally to listen to his surroundings, he didn't look back to see who might be following them. Tesla thought about reminding Wotter to be extra careful, but said nothing. The Discipline Pokémon was already stressed and angry enough as it is. The old Pikachu saw no obvious reason for Wotter to be angry. He understood why. Years ago someone betrayed him, and he had never let the incident go. Tesla had never really dropped the incident when Team Rocket captured him and broke up his family. How could he used these two entirely different hardships to draw up common ground with Wotter?

_"Is there something on your mind, Wotter?"_

_ "Plenty."_

_ "Like what?"_

_ "Sh*tdicks."_

Tesla raised an eyebrow. _"Sh*tdicks?"_

Wotter shot a look at him. _"Yeah, sh*tdicks. Those tiny-ass pissballs that do absolutely nothing, except eat, sleep, and cry. The ones that complain a lot. The ones who overreact a lot. Those sh*tdicks."_

Tesla asked, _"And what is your issue with them?"_

_"Nobark placed me in charge to police the PRA, because I am the Discipline Pokémon, and he needed someone to run them with discipline."_

_ "So what did you do?"_

_ "I shut Pokémon up for complaining too much."_

_ "What are they usually complaining about?"_

_ "Minor things."_

_ "Like what?"_

_ "'This Patrat took my apple,' 'This Ducklet stole my seeds,' 'Scout is hogging all the blankets again.' Yeah, those kinds of complaints."_

_ "And what do you do to discipline them?"_

Wotter rolled his eyes. _"I usually sock them in the mouth, sometimes smash their noggins together if they're fighting. One time I had a Panpour who wouldn't help Scout clean the barracks, they had piled up too much garbage and blocked half the room. Conscripts couldn't get through, she was tasked along with other Pokémon to help clean up. She refused, so I had to force her to."_

_ "What was her excuse?"_

Wotter shot Tesla another look. _"It was too dirty, did you have to clean up garbage piles before?"_

_ "Yes, I did, and it was horrible. But at least I did it, because trash harbors disease. The last thing I needed was dysentery to run rampant," _then Tesla asked, _"Where is she now, by the way?"_

_"Heck if I know, she just disappeared one day. Not many Pokémon made noise about it."_

Tesla could tell he was lying. He was truthful so far, but that last sentence started ringing bells. He knew where she was, but he was right about the Pokémon merely noting her disappearance.

_What are you hiding, Wotter? _Tesla thought.

Wotter led Tesla to a creek. The water was just a simple stream, barely around ankle level. Tesla sat down on a rock and rested for a moment. To the average human being under a moonless and starless night was pitch blackness. To Tesla the world was a soft purple. He wasn't sure how Wotter viewed the world with his night vision, he didn't seem to be having any problems though. _"This is it," _he said.

_"This will lead us under Soho?" _Tesla asked.

_"Yes, however we'll need to find our way through the sewers to get to street level. By the way, you know what Hattricks's address is?"_

Tesla handed Wotter the slip of paper Nobark handed him. _"Already memorized, be sure to keep that handy in case I forget."_

Wotter squinted his eyes at the slip. He frowned, Tesla knew that face when he saw it. _"I don't wanna ask, because I know."_

The Discipline Pokémon tucked the slip into his backpack pocket. _"I always let Smugleaf do the typing and reading, cause I was never taught how to read and write."_

_ "Is that why you're angry all the time?"_

Wotter shrugged. _"I guess it does, I never gave much thought about it."_

_ "If you want me to teach you, just ask. I taught a lot of my friends literacy in the WA, I even taught Nobark how to read and write. If you have the time someday, just ask me for help. Okay?"_

Wotter nodded. _"Thanks, I appreciate it."_

Tesla could tell he was telling the truth. The old Pikachu then turned toward the grate, then asked, _"Wrought iron?"_

_ "Yup."_

_ "Okay, stand back and shield your eyes."_

Tesla stepped up to the grate, it was thick and rusty, but penetrable. He looked back at Wotter, the Dewott got behind a rock and covered his eyes with his forearm. _"Ready."_

The Mouse Pokémon closed his eyes, then pushed.

The forest cracked and spurred as the grate flashed. Birds exploded out of the tree canopy, squawking deafly horror. Tesla stepped and fanned the air with his hand, then opened his eyes.

The grate glowed a neon orange. Smoke and fire steamed off the bars, the whole thing belched burnt moss and powdery rust. The heat coming off of the grate was intense, it felt hot enough to melt already.

Wotter stepped out and whistled. _"That sure is hot, but it's not melting, Tes."_

_ "Don't need to," _said Tesla. _"Hit it with Hydro Pump."_

The Discipline Pokémon sucked in air and blasted out a column of water. The Hydro Pump struck the grate, water turned to steam upon contact. Tesla could hear the grate clatter against the concrete. Wotter ceased his Hydro Pump, revealing an open passageway through the storm drain.

_"Outstanding," _Tesla muttered.

Steam spewed out of the storm drain, the air was thick and humid. Tesla peaked inside. The pieces of the grate littered the ground. Tesla stepped into the water puddle, it was warm to the touch. _"It's like a sauna in here," _said Wotter.

_"Had you ever been to a sauna?" _Tesla asked.

_"No," _said Wotter. _"I have not."_

_ "Believe me, it feels like the steam coming from the hot tub. Except hotter."_

_ "I'll take your word for it."_

Tesla and Wotter stepped through the hole and started down the storm drain. The old Pikachu processed everything he'd just saw since they left Fort Wernher. If he was lucky, this storm drain could be used as an escape route out from Fort Wernher. Tesla shelved the thought in the back of his mind, if the mission goes well without a hitch he was sure he could use the same route again.

**. . .**

_"What took you so long?" _Woody asked as Nobark strolled up to the command bunker.

The Muscular Pokémon cradled a laptop in his arms, along with its power cord and wireless mouse. Nobark discreetly tucked Smugleaf's journal into his pelt, then said, _"I was checking up on Smugleaf, she had fallen asleep."_

Woody nodded. _"Well, I got the laptop, I'll go set it up."_

Woody and Nobark stepped inside and walked into the conference room. The Timburr plugged the power cord into the wall and booted up the computer, while he was setting it up Nobark went back into his room and opened up the PVC folder. He pulled out one of Mark's USB sticks and held it up to the light. "I hope you got everything, Mark," Nobark thought aloud. "I hope you got what I need."

Nobark carried the USB stick to the conference room. The laptop was set up, Woody was on the interface waiting for the computer to warm up. Nobark handed the Muscular Pokémon the USB stick and he plugged it in. _"Okay, let's see what we have."_

Woody clicked on the USB icon and opened it up, displaying several folders.

Both Pokémon's jaws dropped.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	35. Chapter 35

_Chapter 35_

The storm drains were dark and dank. Tesla rubbed his arms, the drains were colder than outside. Wotter stopped leading the way and simply walked beside him. The Discipline Pokémon had his SMG out, his finger over the trigger guard. Tesla scanned the way ahead, if Wotter had went through manmade tunnels before, then he might have encountered people wandering them. Storm drains and sewers were underground highways, roughly following the local road networks. The tunnels can be so big that trucks can drive through them. Tesla had used the sewer system heavily in Faraday City during his exile years. These tunnels, however, were vastly different from what he was used to. The sewers in Faraday City were clean, with no sign of mold. The sewer drains running under Soho were no comparison. Tesla could smell spores fuming off the walls. They smelled ancient, maybe they were the kind of spores that causes pneumonia. Tesla took a deep breath through the fur of his arm, trying to spare each breath from the toxic air.

The two Pokémon continued down the tunnels for ten minutes. Neither said a word to the other, mostly because there was nothing to talk about. Tesla thought about Swoo I flying around Springfield and Carbondale, searching frantically for Rex. Personally he thought that Swoo I might never find him. Rex might be still in Soho, yet Ash had said he was kicked out. He might be in Carbondale, then he might be in Springfield, or vice versa. Tesla adjusted the gun on his strap. He wasn't sure if it was necessary to have it out, or even _have _it all together. The old Pikachu electricity can spark faster than any bullet, and can kill if he wanted it to. The gun wasn't unnecessary, but then again, Tesla didn't want to wear himself out from sparking too much lightning.

The storm drain started descending. Rather than a gentle decline the tunnel took a sharp nose dive and leveling off every fifty meters. Luckily there were stairs built into the drain, Tesla took great care not to slip as he climbed down. He didn't want to risk a fall and get a broken bone under the bowels of a hostile town.

_"Have you went through these tunnels before?" _Tesla asked, his voice echoing madly down the tunnel.

_"A long time ago," _said Wotter. _"I'm not sure if they redesigned the tunnels or not."_

The Pokémon soon came across something promising. Another tunnel, this one detoured back and curved north. Wotter touched Tesla's shoulder, then said, _"We have to be quiet now," _he said. _"The Soho PD has trained ears running down these tunnels, they're so sensitive they can pick up a fart."_

_ "Can they smell it too?" _Tesla asked.

Wotter stared at him for a moment, then chuckled, _"If they can, then we're twice as f*cked."_

Tesla and Wotter climbed up the tunnel. The old Pikachu noticed that the deeper they go into the tunnel, the narrower it becomes. They may start seeing manhole covers soon. A sign of a street above.

Sure enough the sewers leveled off and storm drains and manhole covers appeared. Light from the streetlamps above lit up the tunnel. Tesla listened for cars and pedestrians, he heard none. It was so quiet that he wasn't sure Soho was either dead or asleep. The old Pikachu scanned the walls of the sewers for any detailed marks. Utility workers would tag walls with orange spray-paint to mark the corresponding street above. So far Tesla saw no such tags. Nothing but mold and rust.

Wotter nudged his elbow and point up. Tesla found that the storm drains were barred. The grates looked stronger than what was installed at the storm drain from earlier. Titanium maybe? Or the cheaper stainless steel? Either case, the storm drains will not provide a quick escape route if things go awry. Stainless steel and titanium resist electricity. Tesla couldn't simply give them a simple love zap, he have to unload his energy to get them to melt. By that time the police would be all over him, and even if he is in the sewers, he would have no energy left to run. _I'm not young anymore, _Tesla thought. Then he shrugged, _F*ck, I hadn't been young for decades._

If Soho was smart enough to place bars over their storm drains, then the town would be smart enough to place sensors on the manhole covers, or weld them shut. Mark had made his way through the sewers to escaped Soho, so getting to the surface should be easy. All he had to do was find the right manhole cover.

Both the Mouse and Discipline Pokémon turned left, following the curve of the sewers where they turned right. Tesla began seeing some markings on the sewer walls. Spray painted words and numbers were tagged at each intersection. The pain was faded with age and decay. Tesla could barely make out what they once were. So he started looking for a pattern. The worst case scenario he could imagine was stumbling into human feces, though that was highly unlikely. He was walking through sewers designed for storm run-offs, not for sh*t. Tesla stopped for a moment and held up his foot, the bottom of his heel was smeared with mold.

Wotter stopped and stared at him, his patience wearing thin. Tesla put his foot down and kept walking.

Both Pokémon turned a corner and stumbled into a ladder. The ladder was wrought-iron, heavily caked with rust and mold, built into the walls of the sewers. Tesla looked up and found the manhole up above. Light shined through the edge, forming a white halo in the darkness. The cover wasn't welded shut, a good sign. Tesla glanced at Wotter, he motioned him to go up. The old Pikachu nodded, he approached the ladder and grabbed it with both hands. The thick rust dug into his palms like volcanic rock. Tesla wasn't sure about the ladder. It was strong enough, sure, but he won't risk gashing himself. He hadn't had a tetanus shot in years, and even with the nanobots to prevent a bad infection he couldn't afford such an injury. The blood loss would be great, and the Soho Pokémon Center is unavailable for treatment.

Wotter nudged him in the shoulder-blade with his knuckles. Tesla shot a look at him, then started up the ladder.

He tried his best not to squeeze the bars too hard. Tesla simply spread out his fingers and pressed down on the bars with just his palms. That tactic seemed to work, but it put more stress on Tesla's hands and wrists. The old Pikachu took a deep breath, keeping his eyes straight up as the halo of light grew bigger and bigger.

When he reached the top, Tesla checked the rims for manhole sensors. He felt nothing ticklish or even static. No sensors, good. Tesla heard Wotter coming up the ladder. Before the Discipline Pokémon could force him to keep going, Tesla placed his forearm against the manhole and nudged it off. The halo of light turned into an eclipse, Tesla forced the cover off and stuck his head out.

There he was, back in Soho. The streets were dead except with patrolling squad cars and night watchmen. Tesla scanned for witnesses before climbing out of the manhole, he helped Wotter out before sliding the cover back on. Both Pokémon scurried into the alleyways, hoping to blend in to the shadows. However, Soho had some tricks up its sleeve.

**. . .**

Each file were both separated by three folders: _Videos, Documents, _and _Pictures. _Woody began opening several folders, he made no attempt to hide his shock. _"Now that's a lot of information," _he said. _"I don't even know where to begin."_

Nobark examined the files, he felt his memories come back to him. Each title reminded him of a certain event in history. Irvin had marked each event with a date, then the codename for the event. Usually he uses a single word, he isn't the kind of guy who makes long titles. One folder brought up Tesla's curiosity, it was labeled _BLACKOUT_, dated at least fifty years ago. Nobark had Woody click on it, and immediately he got a choice of three separate folders.

_"Which do you wanna look at first?" _Woody asked.

_"The pictures," _said Nobark.

Woody clicked on the _Pictures _folder, and revealed a large cache of digital photos. The Timburr placed the file reader on presentation mode, which pulled up each individual picture. The first photo that came up was a small Scraggy running through the front door of a house, its pelt bursting with beer. _"I remember this," _said Nobark. _"My friends and I just came back from looting the convenience stores. We were already partying just before we got through the door. I think Tesla took this picture, or at least someone yellow."_

_ "How old were you at the time?"_

_ "Tenish-something years, I believe."_

_ "How much beer you drank that night?"_

_ "I can't remember, probably enough to wake up in the morning to find my pelt was turned inside-out."_

Woody chuckled, Nobark rolled his eyes. _"Believe me, that was no fun."_

The Muscular Pokémon exited out of the folder and went back to the main file. _"Okay, now what are we supposed to be looking for."_

_ "Go back fifty years," _said Nobark. _"I'll show you what specific year."_

Woody navigated his way through the sea of years and dates. Nobark guided him thoroughly as he can. Both Pokémon homed in on a specific year when Tesla was around his fifties, Nobark told Woody to go to the later years. _"There," _he said. _"Right there is where we need to go."_

_ "Got it."_

Woody clicked on the folder, then Nobark pointed out the month. He clicked on that folder and again pulled up the familiar pictures, documents, and video setup.

_"Click on the video folder," _said Nobark.

Woody clicked on it, and pulled up at least three videos from that month. Two of the videos were irrelevant, Nobark knew because he had already seen them. They had to do with his friends either laying around farting and watching the paint dry. Med had personally made the videos herself. She was bored, so she got out the camcorder and started recording.

The third video was recorded by Irvin, Nobark wasn't there when he recorded it but had watched it the following evening. He had seen it. His friends had seen it. Tesla never watched the video himself, he went to bed after he got home and wouldn't budge when anyone tried to wake him. The Pikachu never got around to seeing the video, and so it was forgotten. Until tonight.

_"That's the one," _said Nobark. _"Copy the video and post it in the computer somewhere, this is what we're going to show Tesla when he gets back."_

_ "What is it?" _Woody asked.

_"Something so personal that I guarantee Tesla will start playing nice."_

**. . .**

The familiar feeling of hostile territory came to Tesla the moment he emerged out of the sewers. The feeling was followed by paranoia and distrust. Every shadow, every turn, might hide some unknown threat. Wotter knew that feeling well, though he doesn't show it. The Discipline Pokémon gave Tesla a steely look and the old Pikachu gave one in return. Both Pokémon were hiding in the bushes of Soho's residential district. Modest suburban homes, probably no more than thirty years old, renovated and gutted with state-of-the-art furnishings and appliances. Soho was a populous town with a booming economy, thanks to its port. The port brought in middle-class blue-collar workers, and with them were spouses and kids. Tesla had yet to see any signs of children in Soho, however. The neighborhood he was in had clean yards. Every bush was trimmed, the grass was neatly cut, the driveways bare of cars. Either everybody walked or their cars were stashed inside their garages. Makes sense, as the PRA would stick an IED in the wheel-well or directly under the gas tank. Tesla saw no signs of any such bomb had occurred, the concrete was free of soot, grease, and cracks.

Tesla had Chief Hattricks's address memorized. His house wasn't far, just two streets to the south. What should be a simple walk became a puzzle. Tesla and Wotter ducked their heads every two minutes as a patrol car came cruising around the corner. The flashing red and blue lights created a purple dazzling effect, enabling both Pokémon to see the cruiser before they heard it. Tesla watched the Crown Vic roll by. Its black-and-white color scheme glistened under its own light bar. The skin was unblemished, clean as a whistle. He could see the cop inside. His face shaved, his eyes fully alert. The cop was surly being overpaid for his services, maybe he makes more money than Chief Kissinger does in a week. If he catches Tesla or Wotter, persuading or even bribing him would be fruitless. Perhaps he gets a big hefty bonus for each Pokémon he captures or kill, maybe innocent Pokémon were driven out of the nearby homes where the police puts a bullet in their head, then take them back to the station to claim a reward.

Tesla's skills and experience would be tested tonight, he got a feeling that once he started probing the nest the cops would swarm him in minutes.

_"You got an escape plan in mind, Wotter?" _Tesla asked.

_"Yeah, I do."_

_ "We might get separated if things go awry. If being necessary, we split up and find our own way out of Soho."_

_ "You sure you can handle yourself, Tesla?" _Wotter asked.

Tesla remembered his dramatic entry into Soho, where he was surrounded and was forced to surrender. There won't be a surrender a second time around, if he gets surrounded the police would move in and finish him. _"I can handle myself," _he said. _"Just focus on the task at hand."_

Another squad car passed by, when the flashing lights faded Tesla and Wotter broke cover and ran across the front yards. They stuck close to the houses, trying to keep a low profile. Tesla never felt so exposed before in his life. His yellow fur was a beacon in the darkness, screaming _I am here! _The usual colors were simply white, gray, green, and black. Any other color would scream louder than any siren. Someone might take an occasional peak outside the windows and spot them. He wasn't sure if the public would either defend them or call the police. The PRA done so much destruction here that Tesla had to assume there was no good soul left to care for Pokémon.

Not a good sign for mankind.

Tesla and Wotter dove into the bushes again, a cop car cruised by without slowing down. The flashing lights ceased and both Pokémon emerged again. _"They'll know who I am if they spot me," _Tesla noted. _"They know what I'm capable of."_

_ "So once we're spotted, we're f*cked."_

_ "Unless we cut off the head of the snake."_

Wotter shrugged. _"I've been playing this game so long that I realized Soho has many heads._

_ "The Soho Council," _said Tesla.

_"Yup, the Soho Council. They'll replace Hattricks by dawn, they always have a guy standing by for a line of succession."_

_ "And we're assassinating Hattricks because he's too good at his job, and the hope is the Council would put a less experienced guy in his position."_

_ "That is too much to hope for."_

_ "Well, it wasn't my idea to go running around in a firing range at night."_

Another squad car approached, Tesla and Wotter dove for the shadows. It passed unprovoked.

_"We better make this quick, Wotter," _said Tesla. _"We're bound to be discovered the longer we're in Soho."_

Wotter and Tesla continued down the road. They made a turn at a three-way street, scanning the windows as they go. Tesla checked the house numbers. He struck gold. Sitting on the edge of a four-way stop sign was Chief Hattricks's house. It was a single-story home. Like all of the houses in the neighborhood, the yard was trimmed and the house was freshly painted. Unlike the houses, fully-grown thorn bushes were planted at the base of each window. The bushes were healthy with centimeter-long thorns, ready to shred anything coming its way. Tesla scanned the outside of the house, sure enough the walls had security cameras and motion sensors mounded in strategic areas. _This guy must take safety seriously, _Tesla thought. _No wonder Nobark wanted him dead._

But Tesla needed Hattricks alive, as he had personally asked him to bring an end to Nobark.

But then again, Tesla didn't like the guy. Chief Hattricks was more of a thug than a cop, he didn't looked like the kind of guy who could be a family man. And he was _appointed _to his position, not _elected. _Tesla was not in a democratic community. The building blocks for democracy was just not there. Not anymore. Nobark got rid of them fifteen years earlier.

_Kill or spare, _Tesla thought.

Then he glanced at Wotter, the Discipline Pokémon constantly looked back-and-forth around the four-way street for squad cars. His eyes were wide, and paranoid.

Then a squad car appeared.

It came without warning, its warning lights weren't flashing. Tesla and Wotter were caught off-guard. They froze, holding their breaths.

The cop car didn't come close, it simply turned.

Straight into Chief Hattricks's driveway.

**. . .**

Smugleaf's eyes shot open. She felt hot, extremely hot. Her heart pounded against her chest, her scales itching like crazy. The Grass Snake Pokémon threw the covers off and climbed out of bed. Something stabbed into her foot, Smugleaf yelped and staggered. She caught the doorknob with a vine and stopped herself from falling. Smugleaf took a deep breath, pulled herself up, and opened the door.

She made her way out of the elite bunker and threw open the door. Cold air washed over her, Smugleaf relaxed and collapsed onto the grass. The mildew cooled her hot scales, the pounding in her chest subsided to a trickle.

It took a moment for consciousness to take hold. Smugleaf opened her eyes and saw the dark sky above. She sat up, flexing her arms and legs. The Grass Snake Pokémon took care to readjust the sling on her mended arm. It wasn't hurting as bad now, just numb. Smugleaf breathed in the chilly air and felt the heat fade away. She felt something prickling her foot, Smugleaf looked down and noticed the bottom was caked in blood. The Grass Snake Pokémon remembered stepping on some glass, must be the beer bottles she had laying around. She stared at it for a moment, then felt tears trail down her face. First her arm was broken, now her foot was shredded. Everyone and everything was coming out to get her. She wiped away her tears, then got back to her feet and headed toward the infirmary. Smugleaf tried not to put too much weight on her shredded foot. The blades of grass stabbed into her foot, irritating it further. Smugleaf fought the pain and pulled whatever strength she had left to keep on going.

The infirmary was empty aside from the sleeping Swoobat. Smugleaf didn't bother knocking on Tendon's private bedroom, she went for the first aid kit cabinet and opened it up. Smugleaf grabbed a roll of gauze, some washing solution, and medical tape. She cleaned her foot with the washing solution, then bundled her foot with gauze and sealed it in place with tape. Smugleaf tore the roll and tape free and put it back into the cabinet.

She rubbed her chest and shoulders. The straps of her knife's holster was still not there. Smugleaf couldn't bear being separated from her knife anymore. She felt sick, her system getting ready to break down. The Grass Snake Pokémon sat on the floor and cried to herself, the grief was too much to bear.

Something then clicked inside her head, something that she hadn't realized before. Smugleaf held her head up, her eyes going wide. _This must be what Bubbles feels, _she thought. _This is what Emolga feels, what the other Emolga feels, even what Tesla feels. _Of course, they all react to it differently, while Bubbles had a complete meltdown while Tesla went cold inside. Nonetheless, the feeling was all the same. Smugleaf felt stupid, why hadn't she realized this before? She was _never _alone in this situation. All those Pokémon lost trainers they loved, or sort of loved. And now they got sucked into this cycle they couldn't get out of. Smugleaf grabbed her face and squeezed her cheeks. She didn't wanna be part of this anymore. Nobark had caused so much suffering, he used hers to further his influence. Why did she join in the first place? Why didn't she refused?

_Cause he would have killed me, _Smugleaf thought. _He won't take no for an answer._

The Grass Snake Pokémon climbed up to her feet. She glanced at her broken arm, then glanced at Swoo IV. _This is your fault, Wotter. Just look what you've done to Bubbles._

"I gotta get my knife back," Smugleaf thought aloud.

Smugleaf walked out of the infirmary and marched toward the command center. She threw open the door and walked down the hall to Tesla's room. The old Pikachu was off on a mission. She didn't care what he would do if he discovered her knife was gone, Smugleaf was just not going to be bossed around like this anymore. The Grass Snake Pokémon pushed Tesla's door open. The bags of cash from the raid were tucked against the wall, the desk covered with ammunition and soap. Smugleaf peered under the bed. She smiled. There it was, her knife, laying near one of the bed legs. Her heart warmed as she grabbed the strap and dragged it out into the light. Smugleaf popped the knife out the holster and checked the blade. The edge glistened under the florescent lights. She pulled it out of her holster and licked its surface. The familiar fruity metal-like taste reinvigorated her. Smugleaf recalled the times where she had killed with her knife, and the times where her knife fed her. It helped her get by when she was alone, and helped perform her duties in the PRA well. Now she needed it for one last task, she need to get Wotter and give him what he deserved.

Smugleaf slipped her arms through the straps. The holster still fit her like a key through a lock. The familiar smug washed over her. She was ready. The Grass Snake Pokémon turned off the lights and closed Tesla's door, then walked out of the command center back to the elite bunker. Rather than going back inside, Smugleaf stretched out her vines and climbed onto the roof of the elite bunker. She had no interest in getting Wotter tonight. He would be too pumped up with adrenaline and paranoia to take on. She needed him relaxed, relaxed enough to where she could get her blade up to his throat. Smugleaf curled her vines around her body, making a makeshift sleeping back. There, she closed her eyes and slept.

**. . .**

Tesla watched Chief Hattricks get out of the squad car. He looked tired, reeling from a killer workload. Tesla knew the feeling. After his Pokémon battles or temper flares, he would be so tired that hearing anyone's voice would spark a nasty rant. Hattricks seemed to be the one who would have a hot temper, Tesla could use that as an advantage.

Chief Hattricks walked up to the garage and opened up the keypad. Tesla was too far to see the code, he didn't need to. He turned to Wotter and said, _"I'm going in, can you keep an eye out for police backup?"_

_ "You can take him alone?" _Wotter asked.

_"I can turn him to dust in an instant."_

Wotter stared at him for a moment, then nodded. _"Alright, good luck. And please don't f*ck this up."_

The garage door groaned and creased as it opened. Tesla used that as cover to sprint across the four-way street. He stopped at the back right wheel of Hattricks's squad car and curled to a ball. There was two ways he could take on a guy when he is returning home. One option was to charge at him while he was just about to get in. The second option would be to wait till he was settled _then _break in. Option one was a no-go, a single disturbance in the neighborhood was all it would take to call in the cops. Nobody can't even fart without the neighbors knowing about it. Tesla will need to use the gun, a Thunderbolt would ring like a dinner bell.

Tesla heard Hattricks's footfalls turn back toward his car. The old Pikachu glanced out across the four-way. He saw Wotter sticking his head out of the bushes. Tesla waved, and Wotter waved back. Hattricks got into his car and started it up again. Tesla heard the Crown Vic shift into drive and he backed off. The car lumbered forward into the driveway. Tesla simply walked parallel with it into the garage. He kept his head low and his tail close to the ground. The garage was no place to spook a cop. Hattricks shift the Crown Vic back into park and killed the engine. Tesla heard the engine hiss and crinkle from heat and steam. Hattricks got out of his car, Tesla held his breath. The tired cop shut the door and walked toward the door to his utility room. Tesla heard him press a button and the garage started to close. The electric motor blared, roaring madly within the confines of the garage. Tesla used the noise as cover to crawl under the Crown Vic. The underbelly above was hot, making his fur itch.

Just when Tesla made it to the center, the garage door closed and the motor went dead. Tesla went still and listened. He heard Hattricks type in another code into another keypad. The keypad beeped and unlatched a lock. Tesla kept on crawling, he stuck his head out just in time to see Hattricks closing the utility door.

The lock on the door was hi-tech, state-of-the-art security hardware. It glowed a red LED and relatched itself.

Tesla counted to ten before crawling out from underneath the Crown Vic. He got on his hind legs and stared at the lock. He recognized the model, the lock was the kind that were placed in commercial or corporate buildings. Made out of solid titanium and stainless-steel, there was no way to defeat the lock with brute force. Tesla looked up and saw the garage button, it was so high up that not even jumping on the Crown Vic for a boost would be enough to reach it. At first, it looked like he was trapped.

But Tesla had a way of defeating electronic locks.

He jumped up and grabbed onto the doorknob, then gave it a jolt of electricity. The red LED flashed green and the door unlatched. Tesla counted to thirty and listened for any footsteps inside. He heard none. Tesla placed his foot against the door frame and opened the door ajar, then jumped down and stepped inside.

The house was dark and well air-conditioned. Tesla's sinuses cleared up almost instantly. It had been almost a week since he last been inside an air-conditioned home. Inside the utility room was a brand new washing machine and dryer, no more than three or four years old. The floor was spotless, the walls free of water stains. The house may not even be that old. Soho might have torn down old homes and rebuilt them in the same dimensions using new materials, must have to do with depreciation or something. Tesla unholstered his MP5 and flicked the safety switch to semi-auto. He checked the sights, so far so good, the gun was working fine.

The other door was wide open, revealing a dimly lit kitchen. Chief Hattricks's scent was everywhere, making it hard for Tesla to pinpoint his location. He listened, and heard the drone of a shower. Tesla carefully made his way across the kitchen into the living room. Hattricks only had a recliner and a small TV, no couches or coffee tables like other homes. Tesla saw no signs of any other people living in the house. Just Hattricks. If push comes to shove, Tesla could do the assassination here and Soho won't find out till morning.

The shower droned on and on, it was going to be a while before Hattricks comes out. Tesla walked across the living room and started searching the other rooms. The old Pikachu found Hattricks's bedroom. There was a single bed that was pushed up against the wall with a nightstand next to it. A dresser had its back against another corner, it had no picture frames or other personal décor, only dust. A table was placed across the wall. Tesla jumped on it and found Hattricks's wallet. Inside was his badge and driver's license. The badge was well-worn from a lifetime of use. The license itself was just a year old. Tesla sat the wallet back on the table. The final wall had a walk-in closet, the sliding door open. Hattricks's Soho PD uniform was folded and neatly hanged inside. Tesla poked his head and found Hattricks's service pistol in its holster, hanging off of a hook that was screwed into the wall. The old Pikachu jumped up and seized the gun and pulled it out. It was a Glock 17, fully loaded, with a bullet in the chamber.

The droning in the shower went silent.

Tesla scurried out of the bedroom and back into the utility room. He slid out the magazine and pulled the chamber back, ejecting the bullet. Tesla tossed the magazine and the bullet into a laundry basket, then stuck the gun inside the dryer. He heard the bathroom door open and close, then heard the bedroom door closed. Tesla went back out into the living room and sniffed for gun oil. He picked up a scent, his nose led him to the corner of the recliner where he found a Remington 870, it had a circular iron sight with two horizontal green dots lining up to the one at the barrel. Tesla took the gun and cocked it repeatedly, ejecting a total of eight shells. They were birdshot, quite deadly for a Pokémon his size. Tesla placed the gun back where he found it and scooped up the shotgun shells, then dumped them in the trash can in the kitchen. He sniffed around for other oily scent trails, he found none. Tesla walked back into the kitchen and hid behind the door, then waited.

Within moments, he heard the bedroom door open. Tesla held his breath. Chief Hattricks's footsteps creaked against the floorboards as he stepped into the living room. He heard him sit down on the recliner. Tesla counted to ten, then stuck his head around the corner.

There was Chief Hattricks, sitting in his recliner, relaxed with peace in mind.

Until Tesla stepped out in the open and trained the gun at his head.

Tesla said, "Move your hands and I'll put a bullet in you faster than you can scream."

Hattricks froze, his face a mixture of surprise watered down with rage. Tesla kept his cool. He had no anxiety or adrenaline rush, he had taken people at gunpoint before.

"How the f*ck did you get in here?" Hattricks barked.

"Garage door, genius," said Tesla. "Snuck right in while you drove inside, defeated your security lock with a zap of lightning. Easy peazy."

"No," said Hattricks. "How did you get back into Soho?"

Tesla smiled. "Storm drains. Your town is full of holes, I can't get through the wall but I can at least go under it."

"We have those storm drains barred."

"And I melted through them."

Hattricks paused for a moment, then asked, "Why are you here?"

Tesla held up his MP5. "Nobark, that's why. The game has changed. He has hostages now, it just so happens to be the outsiders you've kicked out of your town."

"The kid and his Pikachu?"

"One of them," said Tesla. "Now Nobark has me do his dirty work for him."

Hattrick's asked, "Why do you have a gun?"

"It's takes a lot of energy to use special abilities. And besides, I'm old and I'm tired, I would rather use a gun than lightning because guns are more efficient."

"Where did you get it?"

"PRA armory, they have all sorts of goodies but all of its crap. This is the only gun worth having."

Hattricks said, "I got a whole force hunting for Pokémon right now, they're not going to take you alive like last time."

"Fine with me, I've already lived my life. Nothing but death in my future."

"F*ck you."

"What, you want me to kill Nobark. Right? I found him, and by f*ck he's on his last legs. I can tell you right now that no matter how this situation turns out, Nobark _will _die in the end. He's old and his health is failing. That's the good news."

"And what's the bad news?" Hattricks asked.

"He wants to take Soho with him to the Aether. He already has multiple PRA regiments from all over Unova making their way here right now, they might be days away."

"Sh*t, can you stop him?"

"I can stop him, I could shoot him right now. But that won't do any good, because the PRA will just go on with the attack. Coordinated or not. You'll win, but Soho will be devastated."

The room went silent. Hattricks looked away for a second, his anger and surprise faded long ago. He took a deep breath, then turned back to Tesla. "What was the first thing you did when you saw Nobark?"

"I sucker-punched him in the face and he cried."

"That's it?"

"I told him everything on why I was there, I told him you sent me there to kill him. He wasn't surprised, his death certificate was already signed."

"That's bold, exactly how did the PRA handled this?"

"They know I'm Nobark's superior, they won't lay a hand on me with their own free will."

"So Nobark took your friends hostage, yet the PRA won't act against you?"

"Nobark's divided with himself, you already know that. A part of him is with me and another part of him is against me, this has been going on before you were even born. It was my mistake to persuade my trainer to spare him, and now I'm cleaning up the mess I made." Then Tesla said, "So which bring me to this: Why shouldn't I kill you here and now?"

"I have a police force that will have your tail if word gets out."

"I had a police force on me for twenty years and had old friends turned against me, they all failed. I'm willing to duke it out with _your_ army_. _But no, not tonight. Not now. But tomorrow or the day after tomorrow is much more likely, when the PRA start to group together."

"You're sick."

Tesla said, "You don't even know what _sick _is until you've seen Nobark. I'm already past the point of no return and chaos hasn't started raining. Soho's got a war on its hands, and this time it ain't because of loot."

Hattricks said nothing.

Tesla asked, "Were you appointed or elected to your position?"

"Appointed."

"Who approved you?"

"The City Council."

"Any objections?"

"None."

Tesla nodded, then he asked, "What was your profession before, exactly? Before you became a cop?"

Hattricks said nothing.

"Surely you have some sort of background."

Hattricks was silent.

"Anything?"

Nothing.

"Oh sure, the right to remain silent thing. Surely you didn't join the Soho police force because of Nobark. Oh no, it was _much_ deeper than that. Someone gave you your office. Someone with connections. I know how a cop acts, I've seen it, and I can tell you surely don't act like one."

Hattricks said nothing.

"Who did you work for before Nobark became a problem?"

Hattricks simply said, "I worked for Team Rocket, I was a senior officer. My superiors bribed the council to get me in."

"What for?" Tesla asked.

"They wanted to reclaim the Pokémon they lost, that was the original plan. But things changed when Nobark got a hold of guns, so now the plan is to euthanize them all. They can't afford rebelling Pokémon, that's bad for business."

Tesla nodded. "All I needed to know."

Tesla shot Chief Hattricks through his upper lip. The round lodged into his skull with a sick thud. His head snapped back and he toppled over his recliner, his shotgun clattering to the floor.

"F*ck," Tesla swore, he lowered his gun and shook his head. He walked up to the edge of the wall and sat down for a moment. Tesla stared at Hattricks's cooling corpse. Blood trickled down the grotesque bullet hole. The room already smelled like thick copper. Everything felt wrong, everything felt wrong from the start. Tesla wasn't sure who the bad guys were anymore. If Team Rocket had taken over the Soho government, and Nobark and his PRA were terrorists, then he wasn't sure who he was fighting for. Ash and his friends were the priority, getting them back to safety was the goal. Tesla had no idea how bad the situation really was. Tesla grabbed his ears. Heck, he didn't know what to do now. The old Pikachu got up and popped his joints. _I better get back to Fort Wernher, _Tesla thought. He glanced at the body a second time, then frowned. _F*ck it, I've waited long enough. I gotta end this tonight or tomorrow, it's out of everybody's control now._

Tesla walked back into Hattricks's bedroom and grabbed the Chief's wallet. He had a feeling the Soho PD will get it back. Tesla didn't care where it goes. In fact he didn't care anymore. He was done.

Just when he walked back into the living room, he saw flashing lights pass through the windows.

Then he heard sirens.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	36. Chapter 36

_Chapter 36_

Tesla wasted no time, he charged toward the back window and jumped. He crashed through. Glass flied everywhere, the blinds crumple and disintegrate. Tesla tightened his grip on his gun and Hattricks's wallet as he curled into a ball. The old Pikachu hit the ground and rolled to a stop. His eye-goggles managed to protect his eyes. Tesla checked to see if he cut himself, he found no blood or open wounds.

His jaw dropped when he saw the backyard. Instead of privacy fences, a meager one meter tall chain-linked fence bordered the property. Several houses sprang alive. Windows brightened and the blinds pulled back. Tesla rushed toward the side of the house for cover, only to bump into Wotter. Both Pokémon crashed into each other and knocked themselves off-balance. Tesla grabbed his forehead and swore, _"What happened!?"_

Wotter sat up and gave Tesla an angry look. _"I don't f*cking know! They must be on to us from the start!"_

_ "Make sense, since this is Soho!"_

Tesla heard cars screech to a halt from the street, their doors opened and closed followed by the distinctive sounds of cocked guns.

One officer screamed, "Police! We have you surrounded!"

Tesla said, _"We gotta go! Use lethal force if you have to!" _

He then tossed Wotter the wallet, the Discipline Pokémon caught it with one hand. _"Hattricks's wallet," _cried Tesla. _"Keep it safe!"_

Wotter tucked the wallet inside his backpack, then he and Tesla got to their feet. They dashed for the backyard and jumped over the fence. Tesla heard several boots scurry on the ground behind him. "They're PRA," an officer screamed. "Shoot on sight!"

Tesla and Wotter dashed around the neighbor's house as bullets started flying overhead. Wotter spun around spat out a column of water, he sweep it across both backyard as he jogged backwards. The gunfire ceased, Tesla and Wotter sprinted around the neighbor's house.

"They're not far," cried the cop. "Call the chopper and flag them!"

Both Pokémon crossed the street and ran into another back yard. They both jumped the fences, then turned left and started jumping through yards. Tesla panted heavily. His heart was pumping toward the red zone, adrenaline rushing through his rusty veins. _"You're hanging in there, Tesla," _Wotter asked.

_"Barely," _said Tesla. _"Just keep going!"_

They hopped the last yard and came across another street. The houses went from standard homes to city suburb apartments. Tesla's ears perked, he heard the familiar buzzing of rotatory blades. _Chopper, not good._

Tesla did a quick scan for cover, he spot a dumpster tucked in the corner at one of the apartment buildings. The Mouse Pokémon tapped Wotter on the shoulder to get his attention, then sprinted across the street for the dumpster. The Discipline Pokémon reacted fast, he followed Tesla and they both made it to the dumpster. Tesla jumped on the lid and helped Wotter up, then pulled the plastic lid open. He found what looked like cans, lots and lots of cans. Soda cans, beer cans, all in various crushed and crumpled forms. Tesla and Wotter jumped in, the lid closing on top of them.

They crashed into the cans. Tesla got hit by the smell of stale beer and backwashed soda. Good thing he hadn't eaten dinner, cause it would have come out all at once. Wotter laid down against the cans and took a deep breath. _"This is just ridiculous."_

Tesla shrugged. _"Tell me about it."_

There was a brief pause, then Wotter said, _"Funny, I hadn't smelled stale beer in days. I forgotten what it smelled like."_

_ "You're used to it?" _Tesla asked.

_"Along with stale farts and molding food, yeah."_

Tesla pressed his back against the wall of the dumpster. The helicopter flew by. The dumpster raddled as a flash of light flickered through the cracks and holes of the dumpster. After a moment, it was gone, moved on to the next subdivision.

Tesla said, _"We can't stay here, Wotter."_

_ "Sure we can," _said Wotter. _"I'd done it before. I've waited for three days in a dumpster like this, living off of nothing but garbage and beer."_

_ "How did you go undetected for so long?" _

_"I bury myself in the garbage when someone comes by. Oddly enough, garbage feels quite hot, even in winter."_

_ "That's because the bacteria in the garbage is generating heat from breaking down fiber and molecules, it can get so hot that it might as well catch fire."_

There was a moment of silence.

_"How did you know that?" _Wotter asked.

_"I've lived off of garbage for forty non-consecutive years, I know every chemical, every molecule, every sort of organic and inorganic compound that is collected in trash. You know them all by smell and taste, I have a name for them from extensive research." _Then Tesla said, _"I practically had all the time in the world in human captivity."_

Wotter snorted, _"At least you handled it well."_

_ "Wotter," _said Tesla. _"Your trainer may had beaten you and turned against you. Scarred you for life. Whatever damage I received for most of my time in human captivity, I had done to myself. My captives gave me food, I refused. They tried to comfort me, I hissed at them. You should have seen me before, I was fit to rot."_

Wotter said nothing. Both he and Tesla sat in silence for another few minutes. The sound of police sirens rose and fell constantly. Crown Vics sped by from both directions. Soho was filled with nothing but lights, sirens, and distant radio chatter. After twenty minutes, gunfire erupted. _They must have found something to shoot at, _Tesla thought. Maybe some hapless Pokémon wandered out of their protective home at the wrong moment and was shot and killed by nearby police. Marshall Law, at its worst. Tesla turned to Wotter, the Discipline Pokémon had curled himself in the fetal position and was ready to sleep off the night. The Mouse Pokémon nudged him with his foot.

The Dewott held up his head. _"What?" _he grunted.

_"Do you ever get tired of spending the night like this?"_

_ "In dumpsters?"_

_ "No, living in rotten sh*t?"_

_ "Yes, I do."_

Tesla said, _"Tell me, Wotter. Why did you assault Bubbles?"_

That drew up a hostile glare, the worst Tesla had ever seen. The old Pikachu wasn't fazed, he himself had given such a glare before.

_"Answer the question, Wotter. If it makes you feel better, I had myself assaulted a Pokémon before."_

Wotter said nothing.

_"It was around my seventies, I was angry at my trainer. I was angry at my friends. I was angry at humanity as a whole. I had just lost contact with my mate, Polly. She was trapped in the breeding program, forced to be used as a Pokémon factory. I didn't know where she went, nobody would tell me. Irvin failed to find out. I had lost all faith in him."_

Wotter said nothing.

_"I was ill for weeks. I didn't eat, I barely slept. I reverted back into a state of depression I hadn't felt since losing my family. The relapse was so bad that I gave Nobark a pretty bad shock, Irvin said I had him knocked out for an hour."_

Wotter said nothing.

_"I eventually recovered enough to return to business as usual, but I was still far from okay. All that depression shifted to anger. I didn't speak to any of my friends or Irvin. One day, Irvin convinced me to take on my aggression in a Pokémon battle. I wasn't in the mood to hear a hundred human voices, but I tagged along. I needed something to take my mind off of things," _Tesla closed his eyes and breathed. _"I stood there on that arena floor, some cocky teenager pulled out a Poké ball. He tossed it, and guess what came out?"_

Wotter stared at Tesla for a moment, _"Polly?"_

_ "No, close. It was another female Pikachu."_

_ "What happened?" _Wotter asked.

Tesla grunted. _"I never felt so angry at Irvin before or since that day. I was so pissed at him that when the match began, I unleashed almost all the electricity I had and blast the Pikachu to Agartha. The crowd loved it. Irvin laughed. But I was raging madly."_

_ "Was she cute?" _

Tesla frowned, _"Stupid question, all Pikachus are cute. She was young and full of life, she didn't know what to expect. The Thunderbolt I gave her knocked her out cold. That was the shortest match I ever had in my entire life. But I wasn't done. Before her trainer could call her back, I ran up to her and scooped her off, then carried her out of the gym. The crowd couldn't stop laughing. Neither could Irvin. I think her trainer was laughing as well. Honestly, a part of me was laughing. The anger was dulled for a moment, but I still wasn't thinking straight."_

Wotter then asked, _"What did you do to her?"_

_ "I took her to a janitor's closet and got into position. All that stress and anger was gone in seconds. When I realized what I had done, I was grief-stricken. A bit shamed and such. I left the Pikachu in the closet and left the Westinghouse Gym, I needed some time alone. What happened after that was a whole other story."_

Wotter looked away and sighed. Tesla watched him carefully. He could feel most of the heat from the Dewott had cooled off, but still kept his guard. The Discipline Pokémon had a lot on his mind before, and tonight was not helping. Both Pokémon sat in silence for another five minutes, Tesla shut his eyes and dozed off for a few seconds. He was on the verge of shutting down, the thought of being shot at kept him alert but he was breaking down. Old age was dulling his senses, his mind couldn't handle the stress as it used to. Tesla forced himself upright and glanced at Wotter, finally the Discipline Pokémon said, _"I didn't like the look of her face."_

Tesla raised an eyebrow. _"Come again?"_

_ "She was fragile, irresponsible, and most of all, clueless. I didn't like her, period."_

_ "How could you tell she was clueless?" _Tesla asked.

_"The way she smiles, the way she look at a Pokémon. I know that look well, a lot of Pokémon made the same expression as hers. She had no idea what the world was like, so I showed her." _Wotter grunted, then said, _"Who put you up to this? Was it that sh*tdick? Or was it Smugleaf?"_

_ "A little bit of everybody," _said Tesla. _"Nobark said he was worried about you."_

_ "Did he now?"_

_ "Why would he not? He's your close friend."_

_ "Course he is."_

Wotter wasn't budging, nor was he complying. Tesla wondered how far he could push him. The last thing he needed was to be shot by an ally. The Mouse Pokémon wasn't sure if Wotter would stay an ally once Nobark goes mad. If Nobark gave such an order to turn on him, Tesla had no doubt Wotter would gladly obey. The Discipline Pokémon can be reasoned with though. So far Wotter hadn't shown much hostility toward him, maybe that was because the Dewott saw something in Tesla that struck up something in common.

A light bulb went off in Tesla's head. _"I see why you assaulted her," _he said. _"You were just like her once."_

That drew an immediate response, Wotter sat up and glared at him, getting ready to pounce.

_"I remember when we first met. You had a smile on your face, care-free, happy to see everyone including your trainer. You raped Bubbles because you saw yourself through a mirror, it reminded you of your life before. You couldn't stand looking through that mirror so you broke it and smashed each individual piece until you couldn't see yourself anymore. Face it, because you don't want to."_

Wotter leaped up and tried to strangle Tesla with his bare hands, Tesla dodged him and clamp his hand on his neck. The Discipline Pokémon's body went limp as Tesla disrupt his central nervous system. Wotter yelped and gasped a breathless scream. The old Pikachu pressed his faced against the side of the dumpster, screaming into his ear,_ "I know you don't like living like this, you're here because you have no other choice to make. Joining Nobark's PRA was the only opportunity you had. Well I'm giving you a much better opportunity. Faraday Island will support your lifestyle. You'll have access to all sorts of weaponry and have plenty of elbow room in its forests. The PRA can relocate there, start fresh. The place needs a new generation and new Pokémon leaders, because the leaders it has are too old and too deep in their problems."_

Tesla twisted Wotter's head so his eyes faced his. The Dewott's expression was muted horror, filled with mercy. _"Even if Nobark orders you to assassinate me. Just know this, even if I'm dead after this f*cked up situation, my invitation will still stand. You don't need to suffer any more than you have to, Wotter. I've been through this longer than you've been alive."_

Tesla tossed Wotter aside, he plowed into the cans and thrashed his arms and legs. Eventually he went still, catching his breath. Tesla watched as he sat up and grabbed his MP5 but made no attempt to swing it around. Instead Wotter placed his forehead over the chambering system and let out a mournful groan. Both Pokémon were silent for the next thirty minutes. The sirens were far from cooling down. The flashing lights becoming more frequent. Tesla got up and shook Wotter's arm, then said, _"We still need to get out of here, Wotter."_

_ "I know," _Wotter hissed. _"Just give me a minute."_

A full minute went by. Wotter got up to his feet and cracked open the dumpster lid, then peaked out.

_"What do you see?" _Tesla asked.

_"Nothing," _said Wotter. _"But it's fool's gold. They might already know where we are, they're just waiting for us to pop out so they can gun us down."_

_ "You sure?" _Tesla asked.

_"Happened to several PRA conscripts who took shelter in dumpsters like this one. They would climb out when the coast is clear, then they are shot and killed instantly."_

_ "Well, we weren't really quiet to begin with."_

Wotter closed the lid and turned to Tesla. _"Doesn't matter, they still know regardless."_

_ "So what's your strategy?" _

_"Waiting them out won't do. If we're going to get out of Soho alive, we'll need to stir up shock and awe."_

_ "How exactly?"_

Wotter simply shrugged. _"I have no idea."_

_"Then why mention it?"_

_ "Cause you might have an idea."_

Tesla thought for a moment. _"I could knock out the power grid for a major distraction, or even create an EMP. But I'm having doubts on this."_

_ "Why?"_ Wotter asked.

_ "Soho has been kicked around for far too long. The Soho PD would ask for Unova troopers to come in, maybe Interpol."_

_ "The International Police only comes in if a crime is connected to two regions."_

_ "Soho owns a port, and that port has a lot of federal interests running through it. Interpol would surely come in if it needs to. So no blackouts or EMPs."_

Wotter grumbled under his breath, but said nothing.

Tesla thought long and hard. The sirens outside became more desperate. Several Crown Vics zipped by, their tires squealing as they made sharp turns. The Mouse Pokémon came to a conclusion that Soho was in chaos, and that he and Wotter could slip out through the confusion. Tesla saw no other option that didn't involve damage to infrastructure and harm to innocent bystanders. He simply got up and bashed the lid open with his head, then climbed over and out of the dumpster.

_"Where you going?" _Wotter asked.

_"To look for a manhole," _he said. _"You're welcome to join me if you want."_

Wotter climbed out of the dumpster and jumped down. _"I'm not spending the night in a recycling bin."_

_ "Then do you know of any more escape routes underground?"_

_ "Yeah, plenty. But first we need to go under."_

Tesla got on all fours and dashed down the alleyway. Wotter followed behind, staying close. Both Pokémon ran into a small maintenance road through the apartment suburb, it looked seldom used. They quickly found a suitable manhole. At first it looked like it hadn't been tampered with. Tesla rushed up to it and tried to pull the manhole cover open. The cover wouldn't budge. Wotter gave it a try, but gave up quickly. _"It's welded shut," _said Wotter.

Tesla pushed Wotter aside, _"Get back, son."_

The old Pikachu struck the manhole cover with a Thunderbolt. The flash knocked Wotter back into a cinderblock wall. Tesla fought through the spots in his vision and checked his handiwork. The manhole cover melted through, the rim glowing red-hot.

Wotter quickly recovered, he knew what to do. He shot the manhole with Hydro Pump. Steam and warm mist sprayed everywhere. The Discipline Pokémon relieved his Hydro Pump, the manhole rim was bone cold.

_"Nice," _said Tesla.

Wotter barked, _"How is this nice!? You just gave away our position!"_

_ "Then we better get moving."_

Tesla went down into the manhole first, he climbed down the ladder and dropped to the bottom. Wotter came down quick. He skimmed down the ladder, then jumped down. He hit the sewer floor and rolled on his back, then sprang back onto his feet. _"Which way?" _Tesla asked.

An explosion echoed down the far tunnel, Tesla felt the shockwave rushed past him like a dragon's breath. The explosion was followed by voices, boots, and radio chatter.

"_Not that way," _said Wotter.

Tesla and Wotter darted the opposite direction. The Mouse Pokémon had no particular route in mind, he was simply following Wotter. The Discipline Pokémon apparently had no idea where he was going either, Tesla wondered if Wotter had a plan for dealing with cops in the sewers. More explosions ripped through the sewers, along with more shouting cops. They must be using satchel charges to blow open the manholes. The Soho PD was getting desperate. Had the police found their dead chief? Since the Soho PD had already shot at them. Tesla must assume they had identified him and were not open for negotiation. Rex won't be there to bail Tesla out, and neither would Ash or Mark. Tesla was on his own with his only ally, whom may be his only hope in not getting buried alive.

Tesla realize that since he was in a sewer that was not the case. He heard a valve twist and groan. Tesla perked his ears, it was so faint that he could barely hear it through the mad echos of stomping boots. He looked down and notice water was trickling down the small canal of the sewer. Tesla's eyes bulged. He had always dread lakes, rivers, oceans, and swimming pools. He had nearly drowned a few times in deep water, but never had he experienced being underwater while underground. _This is worse than my worst nightmare, _Tesla thought. _I am so f*cked!"_

"_They're trying to flood us out!?" _Wotter hollered over the foot stomps.

Tesla shot a look at him, _"Why are you worried, you're a water-type for Arceus's sake!"_

"_Yeah, but I still need to breathe _air, _Tesla! I'm a mammal, not a fish!"_

When the two reached a three-way tunnel, flashlights glistened off the walls. Tesla and Wotter slapped their backs against the wall, clenching tight to their guns. A squad of SWAT officers approached the freeway. Tesla couldn't make out their faces, just the black outline of their riot uniforms. Interestingly enough, Tesla could see they were also armed with MP5s, albeit unsilenced. The stream grew into a small torrent. Tesla watched the torrent rose a centimeter. It began to spill over the sewer canal and treading over the walkways. Tesla scooted his feet as far away from the water as possible. His pulse skyrocketed. He didn't know what was worse. Being shot at in a bottleneck with no cover, or being drowned in darkness.

The SWAT officers shined their lights down each tunnel. Tesla and Wotter slid onto their bellies. The old Pikachu ducked behind Wotter's rear and under his tail, trying his best to cover his yellow fur. The Discipline Pokémon's feet twitched, Tesla sensed that Wotter wasn't pleased in being touched. Both Pokémon watched the soldier-like cops scanned the darkness while planning their next move. One of them, probably a supervisor, pulled up a radio mic clipped onto his shoulder and shouted into it, "What's going on, why are the sewers flooding?"

Tesla could make out what was said on the radio over the torrent. He felt water trickle across his belly. The Discipline Pokémon started kicking him with his heel. At first Tesla wondered why he was kicking him until he looked down, he had his hand clamped tight against his tail, as if he was strangling it. One of the cops shined their gun flashlight over their heads. The Discipline Pokémon stopped kicking and went still. Tesla held his breath and prayed that the water wasn't sewage.

After listening to the radio for a few seconds, the supervisor looked up and said, "Alright boys, we better clear! We're going to flood the sewers and wash them out!"

A shot of fear ripped down his spine. The whole world flashed purple plasma. The mildew mold air was quickly replaced with ozone and rust. Tesla's mouth tasted coppery, the whole world was a blur. He thought he heard gunshots and screams. All sorts of lights flashed in the sewers, then the world smelled like burnt rubber.

Tesla regained lucidity and found himself lying on his back. He sat up, blinked, and saw what happened. The SWAT officers were lying on the ground, moaning in pain. All of their flashlights were dead, not a single one was shining.

Tesla looked up and saw Wotter clinging tightly to a pipe, the Dewott looked down at him and spat, _"Could you warn me next time!?"_

_ "What happened?" _Tesla asked.

_"You jumped up and started sparking electricity, I barely had enough time to get out of the water when they started firing at you."_

_ "They were shooting at me?"_

_ "Yeah, just how exactly did you manage to deflect their bullets with electricity?"_

_ "Countershield, I think. Even stops grenade shrapnel."_

Wotter let go of the pipe and jumped down. He took Tesla's hand and pulled him up. _"Come on, we gotta go. We don't have time-"_

Wotter was interrupted by a massive hissing roar echoing down the tunnels. Tesla's heart sank, his worst nightmare was coming true. He didn't bother screaming at Wotter to run, he just bolted. The Discipline Pokémon got the message and caught up with Tesla. Both Pokémon kicked against the rising torrent. Tesla had trouble staying on his feet, the torrent threatened to carry him away. The old Pikachu was surprised when Wotter scooped him up off his feet and carried him in his arms. Before he could protest, Wotter said, _"Hold your breath, Tes. Things are about to get rough!"_

The SWAT officers slowly regained consciousness and started kicking and screaming. Wotter plowed through them as fast as he could. The cops didn't noticed, they were too focused on dashing toward the nearest manhole. Tesla scanned them for weapons. They either had dropped their submachine guns or had them slung on their backs. Whatever the case was, it was clear their objectives had changed.

Tesla's ears perked. He felt the air rushed passed him in breakneck speed. The old Pikachu held his breath. Wotter pulled him close to his chest and jumped.

The massive wave shot them down the sewers like a thunderbolt. Tesla's eye-goggles quickly flooded with water. He couldn't see where he was going or hear what was going on. All he knew was Wotter seemed to be steering them through the flooded sewers on a steady course. As they buffered through the floodwaters, several memories flashed in Tesla's mind. He remembered nearly drowning in the river when he was a Pichu and his mother resuscitated him. He remembered nearly drowning in a lake on a camping trip with Irvin and his trainer resuscitated him. Several moments about Tesla getting nausea when riding on boats, both big and small. Everything about being in water, especially deep water, resurfaced to combat his latest water horror.

Tesla's lungs burned. He craned his neck where he thought was up and struggled to get some air. Wotter sensed this and held Tesla's head up to the surface. Tesla breathed in a lungful of fresh air. Either be it methane or carbon dioxide, Tesla didn't care. It stopped his lungs from burning, that's for sure. Wotter pulled him back down and resumed course.

Eventually Wotter stopped at a manhole cover. He pressed Tesla against the bars, Tesla instinctively grabbed on and started climbing. When he emerged out of the heavy torrent, his ears were filled with noise. He tried calling for Wotter, but his voice was drowned out by the sound. Tesla kept climbing the ladder until his head struck the manhole cover. The old Pikachu used all his strength to push the cover off, then climbed through.

Tesla was soon greeted with silence. He cleared his ears from water as he climbed back onto the surface. Tesla clenched his hands on the ground. He felt gravel, medium-size quartz rocks designed for serious punishment. Tesla collapsed on the ground and panted. He was hypothermic and almost out of energy. His body was done, but his mind was not finished yet.

The old Pikachu felt Wotter took his hand and helped him back to his feet. Tesla opened his eyes. He found himself in the side of the street, far away from the city center. Tesla turned around, his jaw dropped.

The rail yard loomed before him. He could make out the building where he first took cover from the police, and where Rex helped brought him to safety. Tesla shook his head, he was wondering if he was repeating day one.

_"You okay, Tesla?" _Wotter asked.

Tesla turned to Wotter. Past the temperament, the old Pikachu could see worry in the Dewott's face. Wotter _worrying _for someone? That was new. Tesla simply sat down, then said, _"I need to recharge, get me to a light pole."_

Wotter scooped Tesla up and carried him to the nearest outdoor lamp. Tesla shivered in his skin, he could barely keep his eyes open. During his Pichu days his family would go in hibernation during the winter. He remembered stuffing himself to put on weight, then huddle with his parents and siblings in a tight ball. Tesla would always wake up after each four month period groggy, hungry, and confused, unable to remember the days before hibernation. He remembered his first winter with Irvin. Tesla found himself hungry as usual, and he ate as he could. But when winter came he couldn't force himself to sleep. The reason being was he was sheltered in a warm house, with plenty of food, with no predators. Irvin noted his weight gain, consulted with a Pokémon doctor, and took measures in helping him to adapt. Tesla's metabolism was thrown into disarray. He had periods where he don't feel hungry for days. Tesla would be extra crabby in the mornings, often wanting to sleep longer. One time he chewed Irvin's ear out on a Saturday, his trainer hadn't bugged him for the rest of the day. Eventually Tesla made it through the winter alive, and had no problems with the following winters for the next seventyish years.

Wotter placed him next to an outdoor lamp. Tesla touched the pole, it was unusually warm, ripe with voltage. He could feel the power inside. _"You need to break open the panel and cut the wires out."_

The Dewott frowned. _"What do I look like, an electrician!?"_

_ "No, a plumber."_

Tesla grinned, but Wotter was not amused. He grabbed his scalchop and whipped out a plasma blade. He slashed the panel's lock and bust it open. He then dug the tip of his blade into the pole and ripped out a few wires. The light above flickered and died. Wotter stepped back and scanned the train yard for guards. _"Hurry up, we don't have all night."_

Tesla crawled up to the panel and saw black insulated wires sticking out, their coppery insides exposed, like disemboweled intestines. He reached up with both hands and grabbed the wires. Raw electricity shot through his system almost immediately. The whole world flashed white. Tesla felt his strength returning, he pulled out the wires further and pressed them against his red cheeks. The old Pikachu felt good, really good. His hypothermia was forgotten, replaced with a warm fuzzy feeling. The air around him started smelling ripe with ozone. The normally fowl air smelled fresh to him. Ozone was technically a higher potent form of oxygen, formed either by the sun's rays or by electrical activity. If the sewers had salmonella or E. Coli, Tesla didn't have to worry about it. The ozone would kill any pathogen clinging to his fur.

The flow of electricity suddenly stopped. Tesla blinked, he found his eye-goggles had fogged up. He dropped the wires and wiped the dew off the lens, then flexed his muscles. _"Feeling better?" _Wotter asked.

_"I feel young again," _said Tesla. _"I can go on now."_

_ "Good, because you knocked out power in the entire city and the police are on their way."_

Tesla turned and found the other outdoor lamps were dark. The lights at the nearby street were off, the nearby traffic lights were also dead. All the air conditioners were off, and anything that hum and groan were also silent. Soho was in a blackout, just like Springfield.

_"It must be a transformer," _said Tesla. _"There's no telling how far the damage had gone."_

_ "It's always a transformer, or you could have melted the wires."_

_ "Copper has a high melting point, but the insulation might catch fire though."_

Wotter shot a look at him, but said nothing.

A Crown Victoria suddenly appeared on the street, its lights flashing yet its siren was silent. Tesla and Wotter scrambled from the light pole and crawled underneath a train car. The old Pikachu pulled out his gun, the MP5 was soaking wet from being submerged in the floodwater. So was Wotter's gun, he pulled out the magazine and emptied out all the water before sliding it back in. _"Good thing I brought a cleaning kit with me," _said Wotter. _"Oh I wish I had the time to fix this gun."_

_ "Not much we could do about it now," _said Tesla. _"Just hope that it would still fire."_

The Crown Vic pulled off the street and cruised into the train yard. The tires crunched against the gravel as it approached the light pole. Tesla and Wotter scooted back, then waited.

The squad car shifted into park and four officers came out. They were armed with riot guns with adjustable stocks. The driver approached the light pole while the other three stood guard, scanning for potential threats. Wotter took aim with his gun, but Tesla placed his hand over it and shook his head no, then held up his palm. Wotter nodded, then stood down.

The driver didn't touch the wires even though they were no longer live. Instead he looked at the panel, then radioed into his mike. "Light pole number three zero five nine is confirmed. Repeat, anomaly is confirmed. Someone ripped out the wires and sent a shock through the electrical grid. No doubt it was Pokémon."

Tesla whispered into Wotter's ear, _"You still got that shank?"_

Wotter shrugged. _"It could have been swept away by the flood."_

Tesla opened up Wotter's backpack and dug around. The contents were drenched, so was Hattricks's wallet. The ammunition box was mushed and deformed, the bullets spilling out. The old Pikachu pushed aside the extra magazines and found the shank. He pulled it out, then whispered, _"Don't fire unless I'm discovered, I'm going to pick these guys off one by one."_

Wotter gave him a nod. The driver returned to the cruiser and sat back down in the driver's seat and filled out a clipboard. Tesla crawled out of the other side of the train car and silently crawled along the track. He reached down and scooped up some stones and hugged them, then climbed up the train car's ladder and went prone. Tesla peaked out over the edge of the train car and took note of each cop's position. They were spread out in a triangle. One officer was in the far back facing away from him. The other two were facing opposite directions. One cop was almost over Wotter, the other was a little far out from the back of the Crown Vic. Tesla had no interest in ambushing each one. He preferred chaos. Besides, the PRA was not known for strategy, the cops were in for a big surprise.

Tesla tossed one of the stones in a semi-secluded area away from the light pole. The stone arched through the air and rejoined the gravel below, clattering loudly. The driver looked up while the others made a paranoid glance toward the direction of the clattering. The cop in the far back held up his riot gun and said, "I'll check it out, stay alert."

"Do be careful, Charlie," said the driver. "We already lost one tonight."

"Sh*t," said a cop in the far back. "I can't believe it was Hattricks, though he was an asshole he got the entire force's sh*t together."

The cop named Charlie stepped out of sight, Tesla waited for Wotter's response. He wasn't sure which cop he would shoot first. The one closest to him was an obvious choice. All the cop had to do was look down and Wotter would be spotted. The cop near the trunk yawned while the one closest to Wotter constantly shifted on his feet. They were borderline paranoid and calm. Trained obviously, but lacking experience. Wotter had to choose carefully. If he and Tesla get the sequence wrong, then they could get hurt. And gunshot wounds were no joke, Tesla was still hurting from the 9mm bullet he received in Faraday Island not too long ago.

The Crown Vic's windshield burst white with cracks, the driver fell out and tumbled out of the ground. All eyes turned to the squad car. Tesla went fast, he aimed his gun toward the cop closest to Wotter and fired a bead into the back of his head. The cop didn't scream or flinch. He simply dropped, his gun clattering onto the ground. The cop at the far corner spun toward his fallen comrade. A bullet hole appeared at the bridge of his nose, his head shot back and he slumped to the ground. Officer Charlie came around the corner, running back into the scene with the barrel of his shotgun leading the way. Tesla fired a round and struck him in the ear. The bullet exploded out the back of Charlie's neck and he went down like a ton of bricks.

Tesla left his pile of rocks on the train car and climbed down. He crawled underneath the train car and came out of the other side. He found Wotter pulling the dead cops service pistol and stuffing it into his backpack. Tesla ignored him and rushed up to the body of the driver. Wotter got him in the jaw, the bullet ripped through his face and out of his neck, severing an artery. The cop already had a pool of blood underneath him. He wasn't moving, not even twitching. The clipboard he was writing on was on the floor of the Crown Vic. Tesla leaped up and knocked the cooling corpse out of the car, then picked up the clipboard. It was a simple checklist, filled with all sorts of code numbers and code names. Hattricks had simplified field reporting, the Soho Police Department knew their stuff. Tesla tossed the clipboard on the passenger seat, and laid his eyes on the radio. Dispatch and other officers were chatting constantly, the radio was ready to clog with multiple transmissions.

Wotter came around and salvage the driver's service pistol and stashed it in his backpack. He then looked up and asked, _"Ready to get out of here?"_

_ "One more thing," _said Tesla. _"I'm going to jam the radio by taping down the call button. Once that button is depressed, we say not a single word until this squad car is out of sight. Okay?"_

Wotter nodded, _"Smart of you."_

Tesla turned off the squad car's headlights and killed the flashing lights. The world went dark save for the Crown Vic's internal lights. Tesla opened up the glove compartment and found an extra pistol and magazine. He grabbed that and tossed it to Wotter, then closed it up. _"No tape," _he said.

_"It's probably in the back."_

Tesla popped the trunk and climbed out, he ran around the squad car and jumped up on the bumper. The trunk was loaded with black gear cases of various sizes. An AR-15 was strapped to the bottom of the trunk, loaded and ready to go. Tesla found a tool box and opened it up, he pulled off the tray and found a roll of duct tape, seldom used. Tesla grabbed it and put everything back. Before he left, he located the squad car's computer and purged its circuit boards with Thundershock. He didn't want the police find the footage and reveal their identities.

Tesla jumped up on the lid of the trunk and slammed it shut, then got down dashed back to the cab. _"Hurry, Tes," _said Wotter.

Tesla ripped the keys out of the ignition and tossed them onto the gravel, then picked up the radio's receiver. He first turned the volume as high as it go, then pealed out a sliver of duct tape and depressed the buttom. The radio hissed and squealed like a rodent being prodded with a stick. Tesla set the receiver back on its clip and climbed out of the squad car and shut the door. He then picked up the keys and double-tapped the lock button. The Crown Vic beeped twice, Tesla tossed the keys underneath the squad car and turned to Wotter. He gave him a nod and the Discipline Pokémon gave one in return. Before they left Wotter picked up two of the dropped riot guns and tossed one to Tesla. He tossed Wotter the duct tape in return. Wotter grabbed it and slipped it up his arm. The two Pokémon then ran down the rail lines, slipping into the night.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	37. Chapter 37

_Chapter 37_

They left just in time. The Soho PD swarmed the train yard the moment they escaped through the wall's rail gates. Tesla looked back and saw helicopters and flashing police lights illuminating the railyard. The sirens sounded angry, almost like Soho was shaking its fist at them, swearing profanity. Tesla and Wotter followed the rail lines into the woods, then diverted into a trench. They followed it to its end, then climbed out and headed straight back to Fort Wernher.

_"I just realized something," _said Wotter. _"Two things actually."_

_ "Let's hear it," _said Tesla.

_"First off, why wasn't the rail yard guarded? There should be cops crawling all over it because the rail yard was a traditional entry way for the PRA. The rail gates were open wide as f*ck, why weren't there any guards?"_

_ "Could be a budget problem," _said Tesla. _"Too many officers on duty cost a lot of money."_

_ "Soho has a port for money," _said Wotter.

_"Economics, Wotter. I've done my trainer's taxes, I know the pinch Soho is in. It looks like the PRA is winning on the economic front. Forcing Soho to lock down is bleeding the town dry, and with their Chief of Police gone there won't be much motivation to keep Marshal Law going. Money is the human's weakness, Wotter. It's money that runs the world."_

_ "I thought its Pokémon battling."_

_ "That's where the money goes, because Pokémon battling runs the global economy. The world government put a lot of money into Pokémon battling because they could make a profit sale on ticket emissions and Pokémon training. I know this because my trainer charges spectators to watch his Pokémon battles. Not all Pokémon gyms do it, but some had."_

_ "Who funds the Pokémon Centers?"_

_ "Taxpayers, of course. Sometimes they're privately funded, but most of the time the money comes from the host government, which is derived from its citizens."_

Both Pokémon continued on without silence. Tesla constantly looked back to see if anyone was following them. He wasn't sure if the Soho Police Department's jurisdiction stretched far, but he had no doubt the URP would follow them. Interpol might play a role soon. An attack on a public official is a federal crime. Local government or not, anything _official _would draw their attention. Tesla could handle a local and regional police taskforce, but he had no experience with Interpol. They would follow him to every corner of the globe, and there is no chance of parole for federal crimes. He would be guaranteed certain death.

Heck, no wonder Nobark was paranoid. Interpol has the resources to perform an assault on compounds. Tesla had seen enough documentaries on TV detailing this. Sometimes these assaults don't go well, they would end with massive casualties on both sides. Nobark is rounding up the PRA from all over Unova for an assault on Soho. The wall would go down almost instantaneously, while more forces pour in from the sewers. Soho would be f*cked, and the city would face total anarchy if the PRA decapitates its government, or at least forces it into exile.

When will this force arrive, Tesla had no idea. He wasn't going to wait any longer, he needed to get his friends out. However, he had no idea how much time he had left.

**. . .**

Swoo I flew around Springfield and Carbondale, searching for anyone who matched Rex's description. He was tired, his wings were ready to give. His sonar was getting ready to falter. Guilt gripped his heart. He had failed Tesla, failed him on this important task. The Courting Pokémon had overturned every rock and brick in the general area and found no trace of this Rex. He didn't know how long Tesla's patience would last. He didn't wanna test it. Swoo I wasn't giving up yet. He turned around and flied back to Fort Wernher. He needed to rest, the Courting Pokémon decided ten minutes should suffice, then he would move out again and double-back around Carbondale's and Springfield's Pokémon Centers.

Just as he neared Fort Wernher, his sonar picked up an unusual shape. He tuned the sonar, the image in his mind shaped itself into a humanoid, holding what looked like a loaded revolver. Swoo I's training kicked in. He circled the blip and tracked it. Whatever it was, it was definitely human. Clearly a male, with some muscle tone. He seemed to be doing recon around Fort Wernher. Swoo I sensed he was paranoid and jumpy. He also picked up some unfamiliar wavelengths, the Courting Pokémon realized they were leftover stress from traumatic experiences. Swoo I homed in further. Something came up. Pain, physical pain. No, the signal looked like leftover pain from an old injury.

On his forearm.

_It's him, _Swoo I realized. _It's Rex!_

Swoo I scanned Rex for Pokémon. He picked up two beating hearts. They beat fast, which suggested they were small Pokémon. Yet one was beating faster than the other. Either it was a size difference or one of the Pokémon was having hypertension. Tesla had said that Rex had a Pichu and a Raichu on his person. Maybe that was them, tucked away in Rex's pocket for their own safety. Swoo I wondered how was he going to approach Rex. He feared getting shot. His body would turn to Swiss cheese upon getting hit with a hollow-point. The Swoobat need to make a move. He couldn't just fly around and do nothing, he need to initiate first contact.

Just exactly _how _was he going to do it?

_Don't be a coward, Swoo, _Swoo I told himself. _Make a move!_

Swoo I was out of ideas, so he decided to nose-dive into the canopy and intercept Rex. Might guarantee getting shot, but at least he wouldn't go back to Fort Wernher empty-handed.

A dreaded thought came to mind, he might not come back to Fort Wernher at all. Nobark was on his last legs and he was the only Swoobat the PRA had left. Tesla need him to reach out to Rex, for the sake of everyone he knew and loved.

Swoo I started to descend. He gulped, he hovered over the tree canopy for a moment. _This is not a good idea, _he thought. _Maybe I should descend a bit farther out and walk to Rex, that shouldn't be difficult. But what if-_

His concentration of thought was shattered by a bullet blasting out of the canopy. It grazed his thigh as it cracked through the sky. Swoo I went tumbling and crashed into the tree canopy, landing on several branches before plummeting to the ground.

**. . .**

Rex wasn't sure what he shot. Whatever it was, it dropped out of the tree canopy and landed in the bushes. It wasn't dead, it squirmed and cried high-pitched squeals. Rex trained his revolver on the bush while constantly glance at the shadows. This could be another distraction on the PRA's part, reeling him in for a takedown. Instead of closing in on the Pokémon, Rex decided to wait for it to come out.

Sure enough it scrambled out. Rex could make out bat-wings and a furry body. He didn't recognize the bat-shape. Definitely a creature local to Unova. Rex fumbled in his pocket and pulled out an LED flashlight. He clicked it on and gave off a small spotlight as bright as the sun. He shined it on the Pokémon and saw it was a Swoobat. Rex saw the bullet only grazed the Swoobat. The thing squealed and shielded his eyes from the flashlight. Rex pulled the revolver's hammer back, then closed in.

"Swoo," the Swoobat begged for mercy. It held up its wings, its eyes raining tears. "Swoobat! Swoobat!"

Rex took no chances, he slammed the butt of his gun over the Swoobat's head. The Courting Pokémon slumped and moaned. Rex kicked the Swoobat onto its back, then stopped. Tears were trailing down its face. Rex scanned hard and long. The PRA may be good at faking emotions but they weren't _that _good. The Swoobat was crying so much tears it might as well fill a swimming pool with them. Rex kept the gun trained on the Swoobat and scanned the forest with his flashlight. He was still alone, but he wasn't sure how long.

He turned his attention back to the Swoobat, then said, _"You either fight back or try to bite, I will put a bullet in the back of your head. You understand me!?"_

The Swoobat looked at him with tear-glazed eyes, then cried louder. Rex stared at him for a second and realized it wasn't crying from the gunshot wound, it didn't seem to notice it had been shot at all. It was crying because it was being for mercy.

But something told Rex there was more to it.

He clicked off his flashlight and scooped up the Swoobat with one arm. It buried its head into its shoulder. Rex realized it was no threat. He holstered the gun and started running back to Carbondale, he didn't look back.

**. . .**

Tesla heard the gunshot boom over Fort Wernher, he held an arm over Wotter's chest and paused. He heard nothing more but the deep silence of the forest. _"What was that?" _Wotter asked.

_"Gunshot," _said Tesla. _"Sounded like a revolver."_

_ "A revolver?"_

_ "Revolvers have a louder muzzle blast with serious stopping power. I've been over that armory from floor to ceiling and I saw no revolvers being stored there."_

_ "Smugleaf has a revolver."_

_ "Yes, I saw it, but it holds only .22 rounds. That is just a mere pop gun, what we heard was a cannon."_

Another minute past, still silence.

_"The PRA often accidentally discharge their weapons," _said Wotter. _"Half the time they shoot themselves or others."_

_ "Since nobody is screaming, then nobody got hurt."_

Wotter snorted. _"The idiots I put up with."_

_ "I hear you."_

Tesla and Wotter walked up to the gate. It was closed and latched shut, under lock and chain. Tesla simply climbed up on the gate and jumped over into the base. Wotter followed suit, he climbed over and jumped down without much effort.

_"How did you get that gate fixed?" _Wotter asked.

_"I climbed up on it during the storm and freed it from the mud." _

Wotter nodded. _"Oh, now I remember. The Swoobats."_

Tesla said, _"You might wanna watch your back, because one Swoobat is missing, another is dead, and another is injured. Swoo I is all that is left and I can bet you an evening lunch that he couldn't pick up the load."_

_ "I'll keep that in mind," _Wotter then took off his backpack and pulled out Hattricks's wallet, then tossed it to Tesla. _"Well, I'm going to bed. Wake me if we're being invaded."_

_ "I'm not sure if I could get to you in time but I'll try. Goodnight, Wotter."_

Wotter departed and walked back to the elite bunker. Tesla turned and headed straight to the elite bunker. The thought of killing Nobark tonight came to mind. Low and behold, that wouldn't be a bad idea. With Nobark dead in the middle of the night, he could bail his friends out of their respective jails and escape Fort Wernher Scott-free. But the PRA would quickly be in disarray. Without a central leader, they will be more unpredictable and dangerous than before. And besides, he had promised Nobark's inner circle that he would take them to Faraday Island. He couldn't just abandon them. And yet, he couldn't just let the PRA rot. Not all of its conscripts are criminals.

Tesla opened the command bunker door and stepped inside. First he opened the door to the den and peaked inside. As usual, Mark's Pokémon lay curled up on the beds. But broke routine was Bubbles sleeping among them. She slept between Mark's Emolga and Pikachu. Her face was peaceful, like all the stress and hardship she felt last morning had faded away. Tesla closed the door and walked off to Nobark's bedroom. The door was wide open. Tesla peaked inside and found it empty. "Nobark," Tesla called out. "You in there?"

No response.

A door opened from across the hall, Tesla turned and saw Nobark stepping out of the conference room. The Hoodlum Pokémon turned and saw him. He didn't appeared to be surprised, he had something on his mind. "Oh," said Nobark in human speech. "You're back."

Tesla tossed the wallet to Nobark, "It's done, Hattricks's is no more."

Nobark opened the wallet and peaked inside for a second. "Wow, you got him. By the way, why are you wet?"

"Cause I got washed out in the sewers, thankfully it wasn't sewage."

"All the sewage is pumped out of Soho, going straight to a water treatment plant. What you've just swam through was a storm drain. Technically speaking, there isn't supposed to be sewage in the sewers."

"Then why call it a sewer?"

"Because it used to be a sewer, but that was decades ago."

Nobark dropped the wallet into his pelt and turned around. "Oh, I got something to show you. I think you'll like it."

"Can it wait until tomorrow?" Tesla asked, "I'm cold and tired, and I just wanna go to bed."

"If you know what it is, you would be begging to see it."

"Exactly what is it?" Tesla asked.

"An old video of the old days, I think you would like it. I'm sure you would."

Tesla shrugged. "Okay then, I'll take a look."

The Mouse Pokémon walked inside and found Woody sleeping on the couch. Before him was a cardboard box, and on it was the laptop he was fiddling with earlier. On the screen was a video, upon glancing it Tesla realized it looked familiar. Nobark got to the laptop before he did and hit play, Tesla leaped on the couch and took a look at the video.

His jaw dropped.

Tesla saw himself in the video. Back then he was much younger. His eye-goggles back then were made out of leather and glass and his body was leaner. Beside him was Polly. She was just like how Tesla remembered her. Sagging lazy ears, slightly extended snout. They were both in the break room of the Pokémon lab Polly had been saying for years, Irvin was the one who videotaped him. The old Pikachu was singing to her a song the way his mama had sang it. Tesla squeezed his eyes shut, his own voice ringing in his ears.

"_The sun goes down,"_

"_The stars come out."_

"_And all that counts"_

"_Is here and now."_

"_My universe"_

"_Will never be the same."_

"_I'm glad you came."_

"_I'm glad you came."_

Tesla continued singing to her for the next three minutes. There weren't that many lyrics, but the message was clear. Love in its pure form. No selfishness or greed or any other similar bullsh*t. Tesla felt the tears rise up. Nobark patted him on the back, saying, "I'm sure she missed you, no way would she betray you."

Tesla said nothing.

The video then clicked and ended, Tesla collapsed on the couch and covered his head. He wasn't ready to cry, he need to process this. Nobark scratched his back, which helped him a little. Tesla then remembered why he was here. He came to Soho to search for Nobark because Volta's trainer was killed by his henchmen, but Tesla found something more upsetting. His friend was dying, and the local police departments wanted to speed up the process. So what was he doing during the past week? Helping the psychotic side of Nobark or fixing and disassembling the PRA at the same time? What about Ash? Mark? Their Pokémon? Mark and his Pokémon may be fine, but Ash and his Pokémon's lives are at stake. Ash's Pikachu had a Joltik glued to his head for crying out loud! Not any Joltik, the very Joltik who bust him out of a poacher cage back in Dixie.

Tesla realized what the real ordeal was: Every Pokémon here wanted their lives back, himself included. However, a few Pokémon would never get them back.

The old Pikachu sat up, he closed video and files on the laptop and closed the lid. He turned to Nobark and asked, "What do you _really _want?"

Nobark hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your mercy."

The Hoodlum Pokémon then told Tesla his request, and the Mouse Pokémon listened.

**. . .**

Rex didn't give much details when he handed the Carbondale Nurse Joy the wounded Swoobat. Honestly he could've patched the Swoobat up himself. He was a Pokémon doctor after all. However, Rex wanted a secure environment with the police not so far away. He hadn't seen a PRA firefight before, he hadn't been in Soho long enough. He heard the tales and saw the aftermath, but not the actual event itself. Rex nearly blundered into one. How stupid it was to put his Pokémon in danger like that. The way the Swoobat sneaked up on him, had it been faster he might've been captured, or even killed. Rex wondered if Tesla was even alive anymore. He had heard no word from him, nor from Ash and his friends. Rex was in the dark, he felt alone with this issue.

The Nurse Joy came back into the lobby, Rex gave her his attention. "How is the guy?"

"I stitched up the wound, but the Swoobat was traumatized. I gave him a sedative, he has calmed down and is sleeping now."

"That's good."

Then the Nurse Joy said, "I don't believe you for a minute that you simply just found the Swoobat crying. That was a gunshot wound, pistol round, aimed straight up."

Rex said nothing.

"The Swoobat was level when it was flying, whoever shot the Courting Pokémon fired from below. A centimeter to the left could have killed it. The gunshot wound was also fresh, and I found traces of powder blasted into its fur along with chlorophyll. So the shot was blind, fired from guesswork through a cluster of trees."

Rex said nothing.

"You shot at the Swoobat, didn't you."

That was no question, Rex shrugged and nodded, "He spooked me, I was in hostile territory."

"Pokémon with special abilities are dangerous enough, but Pokémon with guns," Nurse Joy trailed off and went silent for a moment. "I had friends and Pokémon wound up captured by the PRA, I'm familiar with the subject."

"I'm sorry to hear that, I think I may have lost friends to Fort Wernher as well."

"Going out there was suicide," said Nurse Joy.

"I was doing recon."

"A Model 10, flatly illegal under Unova law. You're pushing your luck here."

The familiar subtle and cheerful personality was barely there. Rex could see it, but it was clouded with concern and trauma. The Nurse Joy was also tired and ready to go to bed, she could barely even stand. Her Audino assistant came up and offered her a glass of water, she took it and thanked the Audino, then took a sip. Rex looked up at the ceiling and said, "What a day."

"I hear you," said Nurse Joy. "I remember that Ash fellow well. He has no idea what is going on out there. I should have been out there and stopped that Emolga, my Audino could take it on without effort."

"Then you have some explaining to do with Officer Jenny, on why you attacked a helpless Pokémon without warning."

Nurse Joy shook her head. "I've been warned of this, and I have the legal right to kick a Pokémon out of this Pokémon Center. It drives me nuts trying to figure out whose friend and foe."

"I don't blame you."

Rex got up and stretched his legs. "I'll come back tomorrow and check up on the Swoobat, it might be my only lead on figuring out where's my friends."

"I'll need to notify Officer Jenny of this, she'll immediately know you shot the Swoobat and she'll arrest you on the spot for carrying a concealed firearm, assuming you have a firearm on your person."

Rex nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

Nurse Joy said, "I honestly don't think that would even matter, though. What's been going on this week is nothing what I've seen before. I'm getting a feeling here that something bad is about to happen."

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But knowing Tesla and Mark's track records, something bad _will _happen. Don't bother calling the Carbondale PD Officer Jenny, call the URP, they'll know what to do."

Nurse Joy nodded. "I'll do that, you take care, Rex."

Rex left the Pokémon Center and headed back to his hotel room. He constantly checked behind him to see if anyone was watching. He saw nothing, but that didn't mean nothing was there. The PRA might have went to investigate the gunshot and found him hauling Swoobat off. Maybe they were stalking him, waiting for the right moment to strike. Even though he was out in the open and alone, Rex believed they won't strike just yet. Pokémon aren't stupid, they'll wait when Rex least expect it. He stopped and listened for a moment. Again, nothing but dead evening air. Rex wasn't taking any chances. Instead of heading straight back to his hotel, he looped around the block. Twice. He stopped at the convenience store and bought ice cream drum sticks and a bottled water. Then he walked back and forth between blocks for a minute, then spun one-eighty around nearby hotels. Finally he cut through a well-lit alley and sneaked back to his hotel. He checked the door and edges for signs of tampering. He found none. Rex swiped his keycard and went inside.

Rex grabbed the _Do Not Disturb _sign and stuck it outside the door, then shut it and swing the security latch in place. He then took a hotel chair and jammed it underneath the doorknob. Satisfied, Rex sat the ice cream drum sticks on the table and pulled out his Poké balls, then called Sara and Volts out.

"Raichu!" Sara squeaked.

Rex scratched the tuff of fur on her head and smiled, Sara wrapped her stubby arms around his legs and whimpered. Volts hugged his mother's back, also whimpering.

"I have some ice cream if you want any," said Rex. "You want to eat it now or wait until morning?"

Sara shook her head, even though Rex heard her belly growl. Volts didn't show much of a response, instead he hugged Sara and buried his face into her fur. Both Mice Pokémon were well-disciplined, they're not willing to eat before bed. After what happened tonight, they don't want to be waking up from nightmares. Rex didn't ask if it was a yes or no. He took the ice cream drum sticks and stuck them in the hotel freezer. Sara and Volts hopped on the hotel bed. They didn't cuddle on top of the comforter, they crawled underneath the covers and rest their heads on the pillow. Both Pokémon hugged each other. Mother and child, protecting each other.

Rex took off his coat and hanged it in the closet, then slipped off his boots and jeans. He walked into the bathroom and took a quick navy shower, dried off, then brushed his teeth. He bundled his dirty shirt and boxers and stuffed them in a trash back, then sat it on the bathroom counter. Rex yawned as he walked naked back into the room. He saw Volts taking a quick peak from the covers. Rex shot a look at him. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon cringed and sank back under the covers.

Rex slipped on a fresh pair of boxers and picked up his Model 10. He ejected the used ammunition and reloaded it with fresh ones. Rex closed up the cylinder and carried the gun to bed. He tucked it underneath the pillow, then switched off the lights. Rex climbed into bed and stared up at the ceiling, listening to the hum of the air unit. He took a deep breath. Outside in the forest, the air was murky, but nice and ripe in the hotel room. Rex breathed out and closed his eyes. Sara crawled up and rubbed her head against his side. Rex wrapped his arm around her as Volts got in between them.

Suddenly Rex pulled Sara up so her head was sticking out of the covers, then asked, "You think I've done the right thing, Sara?"

The Mouse Pokémon's black marble eyes stared at him, saying nothing.

Rex bent over and kissed her forehead. "Please, Sara. Just for tonight, relax. If anyone tries barging into his hotel room, they have to get through me first. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you guys."

Sara muttered something unintelligible under her breath, then pressed her head against Rex's armpit.

"Sleep now, you two," he said. "Tomorrow is a new day."

He would soon realize tomorrow would be more than a new day.

**. . .**

Tesla stepped into his room and closed the door. His brain struggled to process multiple thoughts at once. Seeing Polly on the video had burned her image into his eyes. To add insult to injury, Nobark's request came from similar feelings, but from a completely unrelated reason. The old Pikachu stared at his bed, his heart ached badly. His tiredness was gone, and besides, it was already morning. The clock in his head said that it was four-thirty. If Tesla couldn't sleep, he at least need to tune himself down. The old Pikachu closed his eyes and thought to himself who or what might help make his night bearable.

Mark's Pikachu came to mind.

Tesla didn't pick at the thought further. She had come to him for comfort, and now it was time to return the favor. The old Pikachu stepped out of his room and approached the den. He carefully opened the door and slid inside. There was his great granddaughter, sleeping peacefully on the sofa. Emolga now had Bubbles bundled in her arms. Mark's Pikachu was sleeping on her back alone, her face stuck on neutral. Tesla climbed up on the couch next to her and wrapped his arms around her. A smile draped across her face. She unconsciously squeezed Tesla's hand and cooed under her breath. Tesla placed his nose on her neck and sniffed. She smelled like a classic Dixierat. Mark's scent was there days after separated from the source. Pokémon often smell like their trainers. Tesla wasn't sure why. Maybe it had to do with the bond between them, or how much the trainer handled them. The old Pikachu buried his face into her shoulder. Mark's Pikachu had Polly's shape, but not her snout or ears. Was it bred out of her after years of captivity?

Tesla got into a comfortable position and closed his eyes. His mind slowly tuned down to near sleep, which was good enough for him. Near sleep was better than no sleep.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_Audio lyrics by "Glad You Came" by The Wanted _


	38. Chapter 38

_Chapter 38_

Wotter's alarm clock started screaming at five-thirty. He hit the snooze button and stood up. He felt groggy, tired. Frustration and anger swirled in his head, bouncing around the neurons of his brain like a pinball. The Discipline Pokémon forced himself up. His muscles ached from last night's misadventure. _Mission, _Wotter thought. _It was called a mission. _He stretched out his arms and touched his toes, then flexed his arm and back muscles. Wotter took a deep breath. Somehow he felt good. His body was toned. His muscles tuned for endurance. The pain soon faded, such thoughts made pain were non-existent. He opened up his refrigerator and drank down an entire bottle of water. Being a water-type Pokémon, he couldn't afford to be dehydrated, especially before a morning run. Wotter tossed the plastic bottle in the trash can, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before stepping out of the bedroom.

**. . .**

Smugleaf was in a worse state. She groaned as pain rocketed through her back. Sleeping on the roof of a bunker was clearly not ideal. Everything hurt from the top of her head down to her tail. Smugleaf sat up. The sun was not yet up. The night was black, dank, and cold. Smugleaf shivered, not only was she getting cramps but the cold amplified the pain. The Grass Snake Pokémon got to her feet and stretched her nimble legs. Sometimes being a serpent with limbs is difficult. She could slither and flex her spine to the point where she could touch the back of her forehead with her tail, yet she was clumsy with arms and legs. Despite so, Smugleaf didn't wish to evolve. The world requires hands to manipulate it. The Snivy's later evolutions eventually phase out limbs. Yes, the Serperior is strong and can withstand heavy punishment. But Smugleaf never really valued strength. She valued perseverance. She didn't wanna be strong. She didn't wanna fight. Smugleaf just wanna live, and enjoy life no matter what challenge comes her way.

The muscle cramps were soon forgotten when she heard the back door opened. Smugleaf went prone and crawled to the edge of the bunker. She saw Wotter stepping out into the night. He yawned, having just got up. Wotter flexed his muscles and pumped his fist. His daily run was about to begin.

Smugleaf watched Wotter walk off toward the East gate. He didn't bother fiddling with the lock, he simply climbed up on the gate and jumped down at the other side. Wotter rolled and bounced back on his feet. Smugleaf smiled, the Discipline Pokémon was quite mobile. He was strong and had an iron will. Smugleaf knew that was fool's gold. All of it was fool's gold. The Dewott was motivated by power, authority over others. He had abused it as long as she had knew him.

Time to put that strength to the test.

When Wotter jogged out of sight, Smugleaf jumped off the bunker. She hit the ground and rolled. Smugleaf scrambled on her feet and dashed toward the warehouse. Smugleaf nearly lost her balance. She wasn't much of a runner like Wotter, she had no chance in competing against him in a marathon. However, she was always great at ambushing, and she knows the spot to do it. Smugleaf approached the warehouse door and pulled the garage door ajar. She squeezed underneath the gap and closed it. The Grass Snake Pokémon scanned the workshop for Woody. His cot was empty. Smugleaf placed her hand in its center, the cot was cold as a bone. She then made her way through the darkness of the warehouse. Smugleaf moved fast, but not too fast where she would trip and hurt herself. Smugleaf couldn't afford an injury. Not now. She needed to be healthy when facing Wotter.

Smugleaf made it to the back door and opened it. The darkness of the forest greeted her. Smugleaf held her breath and listened. Nothing but still air. She closed the door behind her and crept along the wall of the warehouse. Smugleaf found her spot. A corner of the warehouse shielded with debris, filled with a pocket of darkness. Not a single ray of ambient light could penetrate it. Smugleaf stepped into the pocket. It was ridiculously cold, but she loved it. She felt hidden, part of the shadows. Smugleaf drew her knife and sniffed the blade. It was already warm. Smugleaf squeezed the handle and extended both her vines, then got into position.

_Any moment now._

**. . .**

Wotter jogged the around the fort's natural curb. He passed the derelict trenches and fallen debris. The Discipline Pokémon scanned the edges of the fence. He saw no signs of a breach. Everything was in tip-top shape as it should be. Wotter smiled, even though the Swoobats were crippled he still felt pretty safe in Fort Wernher. The PRA had an army, with special abilities, supported with military-grade firearms. They don't need to rehearse a defense drill. No one is getting in arm's reach of the fence, Wotter was sure of that.

The Discipline Pokémon soon came around the west side of the fort. The forest to his left, the base to his right. The path around this part of Fort Wernher narrowed down to a point where Wotter could touch the forest and the fence with both hands. The part around the warehouse was slightly better. Obviously it was stronger than the fence. It was more heavily fortified, nothing should get in the warehouse from outside the base.

One thing Wotter hadn't anticipated was something coming out from the inside.

He jogged up to the warehouse and curved around the pile of garbage sitting next to the wall. Without warning something struck him in the side of his neck. Wotter was thrown into the forest. He tumbled and crashed into a tree. Pressure built up in his head, getting ready to explode out his eyes and ears. A second later, the pressure plummeted. Wotter felt drowsy, he struggled to get back up to his feet when a green vine coiled around his neck. Wotter's eyes went big. He clawed at the vine, struggling to breathe. The vine then slammed his head against the tree, and the world turned into fog.

The vine uncurled and Wotter gasped in a gulp of air. Suddenly something placed its mouth over his, and a fork-like tongue brush against the roof of his jaw. Wotter knew that tongue well. He had tasted it once before.

_Smugleaf._

He peered through the fog and just able to make out her features. She then got on top of him, both vines curled themselves around his torso and neck. Wotter couldn't move his arms. He tried to reach for his scalchops, only to find Smugleaf had kicked them aside.

Before Wotter could figure out what to do next, his brain stopped recording and everything went numb.

**. . .**

It was all over within half an hour. Smugleaf felt good, really good. She dragged the unconscious Dewott back to the warehouse. The Grass Snake Pokémon forced him into the shadow pocket. Wotter moaned, he stopped struggling and went limb. Smugleaf relaxed her grip. She didn't wanna kill him, not yet anyways. Smugleaf grabbed both of Wotter's legs and spread them apart, then pinned them down with her feet.

All the times Wotter had personally violated almost every Pokémon in the PRA and ruined their lives had come to this point. The tables had turned. Smugleaf had her personal fun, but she was not yet done. The Snivy gripped her knife with both hands and held it over the Dewott's groin. She glanced at Wotter's face. He looked peaceful, cute even. The Discipline Pokémon seemed unconscious enough, hopefully the adrenaline from his run wouldn't ruin things.

Smugleaf took a deep breath and closed her eyes, then called the knife down.

**. . .**

Rex woke up roughly around seven. His chest and abdomen hurt, it felt like there was a huge weight crushing down on him. Rex made a face, his hand was just about to rub his chest when it was stopped by a thick mass of fur. He opened his eyes and found that Sara was lying face-down on top of him. No wonder he had trouble breathing for part of the night. Sara was suffocating him. Rex placed both hands on the Raichu and slid her off to the side. She whined, waving her hands in the air like she was trying to grab something. Rex found Volts tucked underneath the other pillow. His head was sticking out, his face buried under an arm. Rex pulled him out and placed him in Sara's arms. The Raichu smiled as she cuddled the familiar shape of her child, then relaxed.

Rex sat up and stretched his arms, then lifted his pillow. His gun was still there, as it should be. Rex wondered if he would eventually use it in a home invasion. He slept so well last night that he might have no chance to react. Rex took the gun and walked into the bathroom. He sat it on the toilet, then started up the shower. He ran the water on cold. Rex felt his skin seize up, he simply lathered his hair in shampoo. After that, he shut off the shower in less than two minutes. He then dried himself off and slipped his boxers back on, then brushed his teeth. Rex heard the TV turn on in the next room. Sara and Volts have probably woken up. Rex spat out the fluoride paste and sat his toothbrush aside, then grabbed his gun and stepped back into the hotel room.

Sara and Volts had gotten out the ice cream he had bought from last night and were now eating it. They both barely acknowledged him. Both Pokémon sat on the edge of the bed, focused on the TV. Rex stuck his gun back into his backpack and pulled out a clean shirt out of his suit case. He slipped it on, then took a look at the TV. It was tuned to the local news, apparently something big happened last night.

Rex couldn't believe his eyes.

_POLICE CHIEF OF SOHO DEAD AFTER HOME INVASION, _read the headlines. _PRA TO BLAME._

"Sh*t," murmured Rex.

He turned to Sara and Volts. Their faces were covered with chocolate and dried ice cream, they had just finished eating the cones and were proceeding to lick the ice cream off each other's faces. Their marble eyes constantly glance at the TV, they seemed to be having a mixed reaction about the news.

Rex walked back into the bathroom and soaked a small towel, then came back out and sat next to his Pokémon. Both Pokémon stopped licking and glanced up at him. Rex could tell they wanted to do it, not him. He simply gave Sara the towel. She took the towel, smiled, then proceed to wipe Volts face with it. Once his face was clean, Sara wiped her face then handed the towel back to Rex. He took it back to the bathroom and washed it out in the sink, then just left it there for the maid to find.

He then put his pants and jacket on, then slipped on his shoes. Sara brushed against his side, cooing under her breath.

Rex grabbed the remote and turned off the TV, then said, "We'll need to head to the Pokémon Center. That Swoobat might know something about this."

Chances are he might not. The Swoobat was probably just flying around, unaware that such event had taken place. Tesla had said that Chief Hattricks had told him to kill Nobark. Now Hattricks is dead, and Tesla's fate was still unknown. Rex grabbed his dirty clothes and packed them into the suitcase, he then zipped it up and stuck it in the closet. He scooped up his backpack and put it on. Sara and Volts stayed close, they weren't about to leave his side.

Rex stepped out of the hotel room and closed the door. The _Do Not Disturb _sign was still there, untampered with. Rex left it there and headed back to the Pokémon Center. Breakfast wasn't on his mind. He wasn't hungry, but he needed to eat anyway. He might spend hours with the Swoobat, or around five minutes. Officer Jenny might be there to question him as well.

He stopped mid-thought. Rex had forgotten about her. If she finds the gun in his backpack, she would arrest him. But does she have the right to search him? Did she need a warrant? Rex had no idea what the Unova laws were, but clearly federal oversight made sure all Officer Jennies in all regions and islands alike _must _have a search warrant.

He turned to Sara and said, "If I get arrested, stay at the Pokémon Center. Give Nurse Joy mom's phone number, in case you guys need a ride home."

Sara shook her head. "Chu!"

"This isn't for you to decide, Sara. There isn't much I could do for myself or for you guys if the law comes knocking," Rex looked up at the sky and sighed. "I hope it doesn't come to that point."

Rex resumed walking. The Pokémon Center was just up ahead. Rex scanned the parking lot for Officer Jenny's motorcycle. He saw none. No official squad car, unmarked or otherwise. Nurse Joy might have not called the police just yet. Rex wasn't sure if it means anything.

When he walked inside, he froze.

Sitting in the lobby was an Officer Jenny, but her uniform wasn't Unova. Instead it was a navy blue. She had long pants, and black boots. Her badges and insignias were embroidered, nothing made of metal whatsoever. She wore no police hat, but her hair was trimmed to her ears and well-combed. Her back was facing toward him as she was drinking a bottled of water, her eyes glued to the TV. Rex read the label on her back.

_INTERPOL_

The International Police.

Before Rex could step out, the automatic doors closed behind him with a soft _punt. _Officer Jenny showed no reaction, nor did she turned around. She simply sat there and said, "You're Rex Anderson?"

Rex said nothing, his voice seized up in his lungs. He glanced at Sara and Volts, both Pokémon wrapped their arms around him as if they were saying goodbye.

"Let me rephrase that, are you Dr. Rex Anderson? Former Staff Sergeant Medic in the army? Honorably discharged?"

Rex gulped. "Uh, yes, Officer."

"That's _Agent _for you."

_Agent _Jenny stood up and turned to face him. She was just like any other Jenny in law enforcement, but was more serious and less friendly. She was definitely pissed, but Rex couldn't tell if that was either her character or her reaction from the current situation.

"Nurse Jenny called the Unova Regional Police HQ last night," said Agent Jenny. "Which they called Interpol. I'm sent here to investigate the PRA and possible political corruption of the Soho PD."

Rex nodded, but said nothing.

"The Swoobat was grazed by a bullet wound, what looked like a .38 Police Special round, fired from a revolver. You brought the Courting Pokémon in. I've already gone over the videotapes of this place and have an exact time stamp on when you arrived and left."

Rex said nothing.

"According to gun registration of your file, you own a Smith & Wesson Model 10 that holds .38 caliber rounds. It was passed on to you by your father. Nurse Joy showed me the evidence presented on the Swoobat, which suggest it was a blind wild shot."

She had done her research. Agent Jenny had pulled his file and reviewed his record from cover to cover. Rex said nothing, in fact there was nothing for him to say. No point in lying, and no way to twist the story. He was caught with his pants down to his ankles.

Agent Jenny said, "You've dealt with authorities before, haven't you."

"The best and the worst of all kinds," said Rex.

"How about Interpol?"

"That question is beyond my pay grade."

Agent Jenny smiled, "I see we understand each other." Then her smile dropped and she asked, "Was it you who shot the Swoobat?"

Sara tightened her hug around his legs.

"Yes, I shot the Swoobat."

"Why?"

"I was in a place where I should not supposed to be, and death was waiting around every corner."

Agent Jenny asked, "Fort Wernher?"

"Yes, that would be it."

"How stupid of you."

Rex then said, "Agent Jenny, with all do respect. I was trained for night ops. I've seen combat, killed armed combatants, been injured in combat myself." He unrolled his sleeve and showed her the grotesque wound. "This still hurts just as bad as it did when I first received it. I had a nasty fall and a piece of rebar impaled me like a spike."

He pointed out the window toward Soho and said, "My friends, both human and Pokémon, are trapped within Fort Wernher's walls, either taken hostage by the PRA or killed. I went in there in the middle of the night with nothing but a revolver and a knife because I am their only hope. I cannot rely on the police around here. I've seen who they really are. You're right about the corruption, but you don't know half of it."

Rex sighed, "I went out there _knowing _that I would probably get killed or captured for my feeble stunt. I'm out of options here, and I don't even know what is going on anymore."

Agent Jenny nodded, then said, "Alright, start from the beginning. Bring me up to speed on what _had _happened."

It took almost an hour for Rex to tell Agent Jenny the entire story. They both sat down on the lobby couch while Rex went over the details as best he could. He first told about how he learned of a superweapon from Tesla Westinghouse and decided to go track it down. He told how he wound up getting a job in Soho and experienced police brutality. He then told her how he met Tesla Westinghouse and how they decided to work together in bringing Nobark down. Finally he put together the events that happened in the past few days. It was by far confusing and some parts didn't make any sense. Agent Jenny listened to it all, acknowledged key parts, but said nothing.

When Rex was done, he sat back and placed his hands on his head. "Am I under arrest?"

"No," said Agent Jenny. "Shooting the Swoobat is against Unova law, not federal law. I'm not here to enforce local laws, I'm here to combat a potential global terrorist organization."

Sara and Volts breathed a sigh of relief, but Rex was sure he was not out of the woods yet. He said, "The Swoobat may or may not be PRA, however our only Pokémon who could translate him is missing at the moment. Had you went over him yet?"

Agent Jenny shook her head, "Whatever you did to that Swoobat set him on edge, the mere presence of a police officer would set him off. Seeing a federal agent might send him into a meltdown. The Nurse Joy had advised me not to interrogate the Swoobat and I am going to heed it."

"Perhaps I send my own Pokémon to talk to him."

Agent Jenny glanced at Sara and Volts, then turned back to Rex and said, "Sure, they would understand what he's saying but we won't get the message."

"Point taken, but we can't wait on this forever. Time is running out."

There was a moment of silence. Rex glanced at the TV. It was muted, the anchor heads talked to the audience in silence. Rex could somewhat lip-read what they were saying. Agent Jenny raised the remote toward the TV and pressed a button. The screen went black. "I can't go to Interpol and simply ask for a Hostage Search and Rescue Squad," she said. "The world government is hesitant on raiding compounds, as the occupants tend to self-destruct. Since we're dealing with Pokémon terrorists, things would be, should I say, a lot more difficult."

"So what can you do?" Rex asked.

Agent Jenny simply turned to him, and said, "Whatever you can do."

"I'm not sure how to respond to that."

"Neither do I, cause we're in the same boat. I'm not in Carbondale to make arrests, Rex. You don't simply arrest Pokémon and charge them with human laws. Before I left, my boss gave me authorization to euthanize any Pokémon related to this debacle. That includes that Swoobat, Nobark, Tesla, and any Pokémon owned by any trainer whose associated with this mess."

Rex glanced at Sara and Volts, they were both terrified again.

"Relax," said Agent Jenny. "I'm a federal agent, not a poacher."

That did little to calm their nerves.

Agent Jenny turned to Rex and said, "How long have they been dealing with this?"

"Months," said Rex. "They had too many close calls already."

"I have seen Pokémon in this state, cause I've rescued such Pokémon before. They are often terrified and hesitant to trust us. We give them Valium to calm their nerves, since these Pokémon tend to slip into shock."

Rex nodded, "I had asked the Nurse Joy in Soho if there were any Valium, she told me it all got used up. Every time they get a new batch, the stash is gone within three days because of all the Pokémon trainers living or visiting in Soho use it all."

"What about here?" Agent Jenny asked.

"I didn't ask. Why should I? I'm out of that town, my Pokémon don't need to be worried of being oppressed."

"They're obviously scared right now."

"That's because they fear you're going to arrest me."

Agent Jenny nodded, "That must be a tough bond, Pokémon often go mad when such a bond is broken. I know this because I've seen the aftermath. Case after case of trainers either dying or going rogue. Nasty stuff. Often these Pokémon commit suicide, either by hanging themselves, jumping off of buildings. I heard one case where a fire-type Pokémon killed themselves with carbon monoxide by setting a house on fire. The necropsy of the charred husk revealed it died from asphyxiation before the fire got him."

Rex said nothing.

"For the Pokémon that hadn't commit suicide, they wound up running off into the wild. The Pokémon Resistance Army had sucked up these ferals and chiseled their horrible experience to their ideology. I'm no Pokémon theologist, but few Pokémon understood what ideology is. These Pokémon are often the leaders of such group. Clearly the Scrafty understood ideology pretty well."

"He's mentally ill," said Rex. "Multiple personality disorder, Parkinson's disease, Arceus knows what else is going on with his health."

Nurse Joy suddenly came in. When she saw Rex, her eyes widened. She blinked, then said, "I didn't know they would send Interpol, Rex."

"She's not here to enforce local laws," said Rex. "She's here to investigate the PRA. How's the Swoobat doing?"

"He's stable," said Swoobat. "He talked to my Audino for some time, my Audino then wrote down that the Swoobat needs to talk to you."

Rex blinked, "He wants to talk to me?"

"He says he was flying around the night looking for you, he said Tesla sent him."

_Tesla's still alive? _Rex thought. Excitement rushed through him. There was still some hope for Ash and his friends. Nobark hadn't killed Tesla as he feared, but there was no telling what had happened to him within Fort Wernher. Rex placed his hands on his head and said, "Oh I forgot that Pokémon Center Audinos were taught literacy, this changes everything. Bring him out here and give him something to eat. Before we ask any question, we need him to unload what he has to say."

**. . .**

_So this is what it feels like, _Smugleaf thought.

The Grass Snake Pokémon lay on the floor of the warehouse's workshop. Blood covered her mouth and chest. Her knife, also stained with blood, was still clasped to her hand. A warm fuzzy feeling flutter around Smugleaf's belly. She was stoned. How come hadn't she done this years ago? Wotter proved to be a cruel nuisance who didn't know when to quit. He won't be a problem anymore, Smugleaf guaranteed it. No more harassments. No more complaints. No more bullsh*t from that Dewott.

Smugleaf lay there for another five minutes, then sat up. She had to tell Bubbles the news, tell her that justice was serve, and that she didn't have to worry about Wotter anymore. But first, the Snivy must clean up. Smugleaf looked underneath Woody's cot and found an unopened bottle of water. She grabbed it and took it outside. The sun was up, bright as ever. Smugleaf opened the bottle and washed her face and chest, then cleaned off most of the blood off her knife as best she could. She licked her lips and drank down the rest of the water. Smugleaf turned to the command bunker. Sunlight gleamed off its whitewashed walls. Smugleaf stuck the cap back on and sat the bottle near the door, she then holstered her knife before marching over to the command bunker.

Smugleaf stepped into the den. Strangely enough Tesla was sleeping with Mark's Pokémon. The old fart was curled up with his great-granddaughter. Were they having a relationship? Maybe so. Tesla was a family mouse, and he does have his comforts. Smugleaf turned to Bubbles. She slept on her back, her face peaceful as ever. Mark's Emolga slept next to her. The Sky Squirrel's fur was matted, smeared with her own drool. Smugleaf smiled. Silly Emolga being her silly little self. Sooner or later she would need a bath. Well, all of Mark's Pokémon would need a bath. Maybe a bottle of rubbing alcohol was needed to kill off the mold that their fur had collected in the past week.

The Grass Snake Pokémon extend her vines and carefully scooped up Bubbles. The Sea Otter Pokémon mumbled under her breath, but said nothing. Smugleaf carefully wrapped her arms around her, cradling her head. The Grass Snake Pokémon then carefully stepped out of the den and walked outside. She put an arm around Bubbles's eyes to shield them from the sun. She didn't want her to wake up, not just yet.

Smugleaf carried her back to the elite bunker. She stepped inside her room and sat Bubbles on the bed. Satisfied, Smugleaf then locked her door, then braced it with a door jam.

A wave of forbidden urges rushed through her veins. Smugleaf couldn't stop smiling, she wanted to celebrate her achievement. She carefully got up on the bed, then sat on top of Bubbles.

The pink Oshawott's eyes flickered open, she let on a yawn before settling her black pearl eyes over Smugleaf. At first she was confused, but Smugleaf casually said, _"Morning, Bubbles."_

_ "What happened," _she asked. _"Why are you on top of me?"_

Smugleaf laid down on top of Bubbles, their noses nearly touching. _"I took care of Wotter, he won't hurt you anymore."_

Bubbles blinked, still confused. _"What did you do to him?"_

_ "I've done something I should have done long ago. Maybe Gloria would still be alive. Who knows? What's important right now is that he's taken care of, and we should celebrate right here, right now."_

Bubbles stared at her for a moment, trying to process what she was saying. _"Your breath smells like copper."_

_ "True," _said Smugleaf.

Bubbles digested the thought, then changed the subject. _"Tesla made me said those words. He coaxed me into it, I didn't really want to."_

_ "He was trying to help you, Bubbles," _said Smugleaf. _"We're all are, except there is going to be competition."_

Bubbles then asked, _"What do you want from me?"_

_ "I want you to feel good."_

That was when Smugleaf pulled out her vines. Bubbles eyes crossed, unaware what she was about to experience.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	39. Chapter 39

_Chapter 39_

The Audino handed Rex her notepad detailing Swoobat's story. Her handwriting was neat cursive, written in pencil with no grammar errors. A quick skim revealed she used advanced vocabulary terms, so what she wrote down were not the Swoobat's exact words. Other than that, it was good enough.

She then went back into the main room and brought the Swoobat out. A gauze pad was taped over the wound. The area around it was shaved and cleaned not too long ago. The Courting Pokémon looked sick with guilt. So much was going on in the Swoobat's mind. When his eyes looked up at Rex, they glistened. He was trying to tell him something.

Rex glanced down at the notepad and read what was written down:

_I am a Swoobat from the Pokémon Resistance Army. My task is to fly around Fort Wernher and keep an eye out for intruders. I am one of four Swoobats who patrol the PRA's territory. As you can see, I am depressed. No, it's not from you shooting me. During the past week, things have gotten awry. One Swoobat went missing, another was killed. One Swoobat was greatly injured and can no longer perform her duties. I am the only one left and I am overworked. I feel like I just betrayed the PRA. I cannot bare the feeling of being a traitor._

_ Tesla had sent me to inform you that he is still alive and well, however time is running out. Yes, Mark is imprisoned and so is Ash and his other friends. As for Tesla, he requires your help. He is getting ready to leave as Nobark is about to lose it. I don't know what to think about Nobark, because I had never gave him such thought. I am personally confused and scared, and I don't know what to do. Most of my friends are gone and my superiors are getting ready to turn on each other. Nothing makes sense anymore._

_ Please, sir. I beg you! I don't mean to hurt you or your Pokémon. Tesla needs your help! I need your help! Just please don't hurt me!_

Rex peaked over the notepad and glanced at Swoobat. He nibbled on some Pokémon food, showing not much of an appetite. Poor thing's pride was hurt. Firing stray shots had him did him no favors, Swoobat wanted to live but he didn't wanna feel guilty. Swoobat felt Rex's eyes staring at him. He glanced up, his eyes are getting ready to tear again.

"I'm sorry," Rex said. "I've been through a life or death situation before with people depending on my help, I know what the tension feels like."

Rex tore the story out of the notepad and handed it to Agent Jenny for her to read, then handed the pad back to Audino. "Before you ask, I was out near Fort Wernher doing recon. I heard you flying overhead and got paranoid, I was honestly expecting a bullet with a name on it."

"Swoo Swoo," said Swoobat.

The Audino picked up her pencil and wrote down what the Swoobat had said, then showed it to Rex. _ "You're not the only one."_

"Swoobat, Swoo. Swoobat Swoobat."

The Audino wrote down the translation and showed it to Rex. _"Tesla had warned that you might shoot me."_

"Did he now?"

The Swoobat nodded.

Rex stirred the thought in his mind. Tesla had considered this. Apparently he was right, Rex did shoot the Swoobat. Rex sat back and stared at the ceiling, flashbacks flooded his mind. At age 18, he joined the military and became an infantry medic field officer. During his brief stints at home, he attended college and worked to get his Pokémon medical degree. He'd gotten mixed views from classmates in his medical classes. Most of the time he was in uniform, and often he worn that uniform with pride. Back then he believed he was fighting to protect his friends and family back home, fighting the evil that threaten society and the world. That view was shattered upon his first five minutes in combat, when a bullet whizzed past his head, fired by an insurgent sniper round. He discovered there was a good and evil side of the military. Rex was good at sniffing out corruption. Many of the bases he was deployed in had it. Occasionally he would get a corrupt superior colonel or some other higher rank soldier.

The first warning sign of corruption is obvious: The person in general is an asshole. These assholes are often rude to other people and Pokémon, completely disrespectful. Disgraced even. They maintain their position through good connections, often fueled with money. Rex would take note of such corruption and stash the knowledge in a special just-in-case file. Sometimes he would never use such knowledge, but when he does, he would discreetly slip the knowledge to the proper authorities and watch the whole thing turn into a scandal.

He never thought he would ever meet an asshole like Tesla. Rex could tell the old Pikachu was stubborn and irritated, it was written on his face. He had never gave it much thought that Tesla had a good reason to be an asshole. Rex had to admit, the Pikachu's background was heartbreaking. The way he exploded back at Soho when Mark brought up that mystery video.

Agent Jenny folded up the Swoobat's story and sat it on the table. "This has stepped up a level."

Rex sat up, turned to Swoobat and said, "Can you go back to Fort Wernher, tell Tesla that I need to see him? Like now?"

Swoobat nodded, "Swoo Swoo."

Rex reached out an arm. Swoobat flinched, almost expected to be hit. Instead, Rex scratched the back of his head. Swoobat relaxed and cooed, then pressed his head against the sofa.

"I know this is too much, and I know we're all treating you like a messenger boy. We'll try to find a home for you. Either let a trainer take you in or return you to the wild. Your choice."

"Swoo Swoo," he said. "Swoobat Swoo."

The Audino wrote down the Swoobat's message, then held her notepad up. _"I was trained _not _to choose. Do what you want with me, I don't have much to live for."_

**. . .**

Nobark woke up without feeling stiff nor sore. A warm calm feeling eclipse him, he felt pretty stable today. He sat up and stretched his arms. Just as he was about to stretched his legs, his foot accidentally kicked an empty beer can over. Nobark reached over and picked it up. The can was fresh. Still cold, yet empty. Nobark couldn't remember drinking before bed, in fact he could remember what time he had gone to bed. The Hoodlum Pokémon got up and crushed the can into an aluminum puck, then kicked it to a corner. The can went flying and smacked against the wall, leaving a brown beer stain where it hit. _I should start recycling these mystery cans, _Nobark thought. _These things always turn up everywhere._

Sadly Tesla had burned all the cans Fort Wernher had days ago. Oh well, the PRA could collect more. They would need designated bins for aluminum though, they can't leave piles of them everywhere like last time. Nobark couldn't stand the smell of fermenting beer anymore.

_How are you going to recycle those cans? _Judgement asked. _It is unusual for a Pokémon to bring aluminum cans to a recycling plant._

Nobark looked up at the ceiling and said, _"You have an idea?"_

_ Get a human to do it for you._

_ "Then I have to pay that human."_

_ Sell copper while you're at it, they're more expensive than aluminum._

True. Copper is in high demand, the metal is used in homes as pipes and coins. Nobark could get big bucks for copper. Speaking of copper, did Woody have any copper pipes lying around? Broken pipes, of course. Pipes that couldn't be used anymore. Now Nobark can earn some real cash off a bundle of pipes along with cans. Maybe they would bring so much cans and copper that he could build up a revenue of money.

Then Nobark just remembered: What good is money to a Pokémon?

_Now there's something to think about._

_ Ditto, _Judgement muttered.

Nobark stepped out into the hall and walked passed Tesla's room. He never gave it a second thought on how Tesla handled last night's request. The old Pikachu cried, no doubt about it. There were few things he would cry about in life, and Polly was one of them. Tesla held it back well, Nobark wondered if he had broken down when he stepped behind closed doors. Nobark stopped and glanced at Tesla's door, giving some thought about checking on him.

_No, _Nobark thought. _It's best not to find out._

Nobark stepped out of the command bunker. The sun was just getting started for the day. How many days had passed, Nobark had no idea. There was so much to do today, or maybe doing something productive, like recon around Fort Wernher. Last night's assassination of the late Chief Hattricks should bring attention to this place. A search party might be out there right now doing recon of the perimeter, looking for a weak spot. Thankfully that gate is finally closed, maybe he should thank Tesla for getting it unstuck. Nobark walked into Fort Wernher's bare courtyard, then scanned his surroundings. The gate in question was shut under a chain and lock. Woody's work, perhaps. The elite bunker was silent, and so was Woody's warehouse. The conscript barracks was starting to pour out insubordinates. They seemed drowsy from sleep, their eyes looking hungry. Scout came out and stretched his legs. He looked up and saw Nobark. Nobark waved and the Patrat waved back.

That was when the warehouse door opened.

Nobark turned, the door creaked opened all the way, revealing pitch darkness. A blue paw stuck out, followed by another, then Wotter's face. Nobark froze, his voice caught has he watched Wotter dragged himself out of the warehouse.

His fur was covered in bright red blood. Nobark rushed up to him and checked his eyes, they were flooding with tears. The Hoodlum Pokémon then noticed bruises and rope marks around the Discipline Pokémon's neck, had someone tried to strangle him?

The PRA started to notice the commotion, Scout rushed over to help only for Nobark to hold a hand up. _"Get back, give me space!"_

Nobark held up Wotter's face, then asked, _"What happened?"_

Wotter tried to speak, but he drooped and went limp. He was losing consciousness, Nobark grabbed his side and turned him over.

And found the source of Wotter's suffering.

Nobark backed off, the horror was too much. The Hoodlum Pokémon stumbled aside and dropped to his knees and puked. Scout rushed up to Nobark to help, but the Scrafty held a hand up. He caught his breath and relaxed. His mouth tasted rancid, his stomach felt terrible. He turned to Scout, then said, _"Help me with him, we need to get him to the infirmary!"_

Scout nodded, but said nothing.

More conscripts came out to view the show, their faces stricken with shock and disbelief as Nobark and Scout carried Wotter to the infirmary. A few Pokémon vomit, others faint. Most just stood there in a trance, their brains unable to process the shock. Eventually they came to, having lost their appetite they simply turned around and headed back to the barracks, then crawled back into bed.

**. . .**

Smugleaf looked down at Bubbles. The Sea Otter had a smile on her face, though her eyes showed confusion. Bubbles panted, trying to process mixed emotions and feelings. She opened her eyes and said, _"That feels good."_

_ "Feeling better now?" _Smugleaf asked.

Bubbles nodded. _"Can we do that again tonight?"_

_ "Preferably you should wait a while," _said Smugleaf. _"Give it a couple of days, then we shall see."_

Bubbles rested her head on the pillow, Smugleaf swung her legs over the edge of the bed and sat there for a moment. Whether she did the right thing or not, she didn't care. Wotter, however, was a different matter. He was the marshal of the PRA, the chief enforcer of Nobark's _de facto _laws. Once he recover from his _surgery, _he would have no motivation left to perform his duties.

Wotter was simply a piece of a much bigger issue. The PRA's integrity was falling apart. Tesla may had improved the quality of life in Fort Wernher, but he had also threatened the destabilization of its leadership. Nobark's weakness was that he was conditioned to obey Tesla's whim. A part of him thinks otherwise. That part of him would surface and resist Tesla. The old Pikachu said he would blow up, and with several divisions of the PRA making their way to Soho, things will get ugly really fast.

So what could Smugleaf do to lessen the damage?

The Pokémon prison came to mind. Smugleaf had been up and down over the issue of Nobark capturing Team Rocket Pokémon for interrogation. He had already gotten the information he needed out of them, so why bother keeping them around? If Fort Wernher collapsed into anarchy, having those Pokémon around would make things worse.

Smugleaf patted Bubbles on the head, then said, _"Stay here, Bubbles. I'm going to take care of something."_

_ "Okay, Smugleaf," _Bubbles muttered.

Smugleaf got up and reached under her bed and grabbed her .22 revolver, then her backpack. She grabbed the .22 ammo box and stuffed it inside the backpack and put it on. Smugleaf opened up the cylinder and checked the ammo. Still loaded, ready to fire. Smugleaf put her backpack on and squeezed the revolver's grip in her hand, she had a feeling she might need it later.

The Grass Snake Pokémon stepped out of her bedroom and glanced down toward Wotter's door. His bedroom was silent, perhaps empty. Either he might be still behind the warehouse or he managed to find his way to the infirmary. Smugleaf wondered if she would get into trouble with Nobark over this, maybe Tesla might chew her head off. How long would it take for Nobark to respond was anyone's guess, so she must act fast. Smugleaf cracked the door open to the outside and stuck her head out. She saw nothing. The Grass Snake Pokémon made a dash toward the Pokémon jail. Her nimble legs were getting ready to cramp after five seconds of running. Smugleaf took a deep breath and held it until she got to the Pokémon jail. She held up the gun and pressed her head against the surface of the door. Would they trust her? Nope. Would they cooperate? Absolutely not. But would they follow her? Yes, they would. She would force them to.

Smugleaf stepped into the Pokémon jail and surveyed each prison cell. She didn't wanna release Ash's Pokémon just yet, they will have to wait. She stepped up to the cell holding O.J. Stanton's Pokémon and opened up the cell. The Patrat, Minccino, and Pansage sat against the walls. They looked malnourished and filthy. The Patrat's kneecaps were still bandage, thankfully not infected, but Patrat didn't seem to care about infection more than the pain. All three Pokémon looked up at Smugleaf, their eyes were filled with hatred and mercy.

She trained the gun at them and ordered, _"Out."_

The Pansage and Minccino stood up, but the Patrat sat there. The Scout Pokémon couldn't walk, he would need assistance if he was going to travel through the forest.

"_What's going on?" _the Pansage asked, his voice hinting deviance. _"Where are we going?"_

"_Things are about to meltdown," _said Smugleaf. Then she said, _"Look, I don't know why Nobark wanted you here, but I can tell we have no reason to hold you."_

"_You got that right," _the Patrat grumbled.

Smugleaf said, _"Right now, as of this minute, I'm getting you three out of here. Things are about to go down and I don't want you guys to get involved."_

The Pansage pointed at the Patrat, _"He can't walk, his knees are damaged! You expect us to carry him?"_

Smugleaf thought for a moment, _"I think I know who might help, wait here."_

The Grass Snake Pokémon jogged three cells down and approached the one on the far left corner. That cell holds the Springfield Pokémon Center Audino. Tendon had captured him during the raid. What she had intended for him was anyone's guess. Smugleaf grabbed the crossbar and pulled it off, then pulled the door open.

The Audino was lying on his side. His fur was matted and filthy. Like Stanton's Pokémon, he appeared hungry, but worse. The Hearing Pokémon's eyes opened, saw Smugleaf, then threw up his hands, _"Please, have mercy!"_

_ "Alright," _said Smugleaf. _"In fact, I'm going to get you out of this sh*thole and take you to safety, away from these creepy Pokémon."_

The Audino smiled, _"Really?"_

Smugleaf raised the gun, the Audino's smile dropped. _"On one condition," _she said. _"You have to help carry an injured Pokémon along the way."_

The Hearing Pokémon nodded, _"Okay, I can do that. Who's hurt?"_

_ "A Patrat, his knees were blown off."_

The Audino got to his feet and followed Smugleaf back to Stanton's Pokémon. The Audino approached the Patrat and examined its knees, _"Who did this to you?"_

_ "The Pikachu," _said the Patrat. _"He attacked our trainer in the middle of the night and kidnapped us. He made an example of me if we didn't cooperate."_

_ "Tesla," _said Smugleaf. _"His name is Tesla, I have also felt his wrath."_

The Minccino asked, _"Who's in charge here anyway?"_

_ "That's the thing, I don't really know. In fact I don't wanna know, and neither should you guys. Nobark's the leader of the PRA, yet Tesla is his commanding officer of the Westinghouse Army. The power clashes of old and new would reach a head."_

_ "Why?" _ the Pansage asked.

_"Cause Nobark's insane, that's why. Tesla didn't really want to bring you guys here. Nobark forced him to, forced him to blow of your friend's kneecaps. The Scrafty has taken his friends hostage, Tesla could do little to help them."_

The Audino examined the Patrat's bandages, then asked, _"Tendon's handiwork?"_

_ "Yeah," _said the Patrat.

_"Super well-done, better than my skills," _then the Audino said. _"She locked me up in here, because she is bored. She did . . . unspeakable, things to me."_

Smugleaf asked, _"What kind of things?"_

The Audino said nothing.

_"I think I know what happened."_

Down the hall the front door opened, Smugleaf watched Woody step inside. He pushed in a cart of MRE's and bottled water. When he shut the door, he was just about to walk down the hall to feed the prisoners until he saw Smugleaf.

Before Woody could say anything, Smugleaf rushed up to him and grabbed him by the neck with a vine. He forced him against the wall, then said, _"Woody, I don't have time to explain. Whatever you do, you have seen nothing, heard nothing, or even smelled nothing. This never happened, period."_

The Pansage and the Minccino stepped out of the cell, followed by the Audino. The Hearing Pokémon had hoisted the injured Patrat on his back. Woody tried to speak, but Smugleaf gagged him, saying, _"I need your help, Woody. Things are f*cked up as it is, and I need you to promise me not to say a word about this. Do you promise?"_

Woody nodded.

When Smugleaf let go of her grip, Woody gasped in a breath of air. He rubbed the area where Smugleaf had choked him while flexing his shoulders. _"What is happening?" _he asked. _"There's a streak of blood across the warehouse and Wotter's in the infirmary. Nobark's too shocked to say anything about it."_

_ "Uh, yeah, about that…"_

Woody's eyes went big. _"What did you do to him?"_

Smugleaf simply said, _"You have no idea what I've been through to put up with that bastard."_

Woody glanced at Stanton's Pokémon, then turned back to Smugleaf. _"Look, I don't know what you're doing, but it looks like you're covering your bases on something much bigger and completely unrelated with Wotter."_

_ "Isn't that obvious?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"Tesla doesn't know this yet, he's still asleep. I'll try to get him to create some sort of buffer for Nobark, but you better be back by the time he starts searching for an explanation. If you turn up missing, he's going to think you've betrayed him."_

_ "I don't think treason is his biggest concern right now."_

_ "Whatever, just do what you have to do, Smugleaf, and leave me be."_

Smugleaf walked past Woody and stepped out of the Pokémon jail, her band of detainees not far behind. She scanned the base for any PRA patrols. She saw lone Pokémon walking along, seemingly focused on their own problems.

_"How is it, Smugleaf?" _the Pansage asked.

_"Everyone seems so passive," _said Smugleaf. _"To avoid attention, we'll need to move one at a time to the warehouse. It's just a stone's throw away. I'll first go out and open a door, then I'll come back and signal for one of you to move. I don't care who goes first, only that the Patrat should go last."_

_ "Why me?" _the Patrat asked.

_"That way if you get caught we don't have to scramble all over the place. Your friends won't attract attention, but an Audino running with an injured Pokémon on his back is sure to spark curiosity."_

_ "And raise the alarm," _added the Audino.

Smugleaf shook her head. _"On the contrary, we don't have an alarm anymore. It's a long story, all I need to tell you is it will take a damn long time for the PRA to mobilize."_

The Audino nodded. _"Okay, let's do this."_

Smugleaf casually walked out of the Pokémon jail and headed toward the warehouse. Fort Wernher was quiet, no sign of chaos Woody had mentioned about Wotter. The Grass Snake Pokémon approached the warehouse door and twisted the knob, then pushed it open. Before her was a trail of blood, bright red and fresh. No doubt that this was Wotter's. A ping of guilt pricked Smugleaf in the heart. Did her punishment fit Wotter's crime? He did killed Bubbles's trainer, yet he had killed several others before her, and Smugleaf helped him with them. So what does this place her personally in this mess? Would she soon suffer her own form of punishment? And who was going to deliver it?

Smugleaf shoved the thought aside, there was no time to worry about that now.

She returned to the Pokémon jail and approached the Minccino. _"You go first, little guy. Look for the open door at the warehouse, you can't miss it. Oh, and mind the blood."_

Woody rolled his eyes, he simply grabbed the cart's handles and pushed it down the hall.

Smugleaf stepped out again and watched the Minccino jogged toward the door. Its legs scampered all over the place, struggling to maintain speed. He was definitely scared, he hadn't fully trusted Smugleaf quite yet. A thought crossed her mind. Maybe Minccino would find a weapon and attack her with it. Woody had all sorts of tools hanging off the walls in there, maybe he would grab something and knock her out with it, or even try to kill her.

The Grass Snake Pokémon dismissed the thought. The Minccino wasn't PRA, it wouldn't pick up a blunt or edged-weapon and strike her with it. The Pokémon would simply use its own special abilities, which was built in, which he was trained for.

The Minccino disappeared through the door, then she turned to the Pansage. _"You go next."_

The Grass Monkey made it to the warehouse without a problem. Now how was she going to get the Audino and Patrat through without drawing attention? Smugleaf could provide a distraction, but then she would have to come up with a reason to go to the warehouse. Nobark might be looking for her right now, wanting to question her. The Scrafty couldn't be knocked out, his skull is too thick. So if she get caught, it's all over.

_"Ready?" _she asked the Audino.

The Audino didn't say a word, he just charged out the door and dashed to the warehouse with the Patrat holding tight to his back. Just when he reached the door, the Audino stopped, noticing the blood. Smugleaf watched as he carefully stepped over it and walked inside.

Smugleaf shut the Pokémon jail door and followed Stanton's Pokémon. She walked into Woody's workshop and noticed Stanton's Pokémon staring at the blood trail. Their bodies petrified, their faces frozen stiff. Only the Audino wasn't surprised, he was used to seeing blood. The Hearing Pokémon gave Smugleaf a hard look, as if he was about to ask him if she had something to do with this.

Smugleaf shut the warehouse door behind her and said, _"Follow the blood trail, it will lead out the back and into the forest. From there, we're heading to Carbondale Pokémon Center."_

_ "And what do we do from there?" _the Pansage asked.

_"Wash up, eat, and sleep. Isn't that what all Pokémon want?"_

Everyone nodded. Indeed, that was what all Pokémon want. Well, most of them at least.

**. . .**

Mark's Pikachu slept well tonight, which was strange, considering yesterday's drama with Bubbles and Smugleaf. She had done her best to comfort her, but to be honest, she had no idea how. Mark's Pikachu never seen a Pokémon this distraught before, let alone betrayed. Her trainer was alive, yet Bubbles's trainer was dead. Somehow she felt guilty, that she had played a role in this mess. Mark's Pikachu tossed and turned for half the night, yet sleep failed to come over her. She was just about ready to get up and wake up Tesla for closure, but somehow she finally fell asleep.

She soon realized why.

When Mark's Pikachu's eyes opened, she found her great-grandfather in her arms. His face was buried in her chest, his arms locked behind her back. She blinked, a bit surprised to find him here. Mark's Pikachu looked around. Emolga was still sleeping peacefully. Bubbles slept beside her, curled up in the fetal position while her butt is sticking out from underneath her blanket. The Cheering Pokémon duo, as usual, slept like a rock. Mark's Pikachu turned back to Tesla. She noticed something odd. Tesla had pulled his goggles off. They were wedged in the corner of the couch, apparently for some time. She gazed at the matted fur where the strap had rested. It was barely visible. Tesla looked like an ordinary Pikachu, maybe what he used to look like during his childhood or something.

Mark's Pikachu then tried to pry his arms off her. They wouldn't budge. Tesla had locked her in a bear hug, she couldn't pry him off. Then she thought of an idea, why not groom Tesla and relax him? When she was a Pichu her mama would grip her in a bear hug at night, sparing little breathing room. She tried to groom her fur, just around the back of her head. Her mama would smile, then release her grip to change sleeping positions. It worked for her, so why not Tesla? He's a Pikachu right? Don't all Pikachus like to be groomed?

She reached out and started stroking the back of Tesla's head. Within seconds a smile formed on his face, he started to move.

But he didn't let go.

Tesla pounced on her, he kicked his back legs and leaped over her body. Mark's Pikachu's eyes went big, it was like a coiled spring being released of tension. Tesla's nose buried into her cheek while his chest rest on hers. Mark's Pikachu tried to fight back, then realized Tesla was licking her cheek. His tongue traced over her red electro gland. The Mouse Pokémon relaxed as Tesla licked her cheek raw. Was Tesla acting out a dream? Could be, best not to wake him. She didn't wanna deal with a grumpy Tesla this morning.

He then moved on to licking the other cheek. Tesla licked it raw. Mark's Pikachu bunched her hands into his fur. She felt loose fur breaking loose. The Mouse Pokémon tried to look down, but Tesla then moved to licking her chin. He hovered over that spot for a few seconds, then went south and buried his nose into her chest. Tesla sniffed around, then drew a long lick across her sternum. Mark's Pikachu took a deep breath. It had been a while since she was last groomed of her own kind. She never thought Tesla would bother to groom her. Either a part of him had thought of doing it or it was hardwired in his sub-conscious. He knew what spot to lick, licked it well. Mark's Pikachu closed her eyes as Tesla licked her bottom ribs. It felt so good.

Tesla pressed his nose against her belly, sniffed around a bit, then gently gave her a love bite. Mark's Pikachu giggled as Tesla gently rubbed her skin with his teeth. Even though he was still consciously asleep, he worked like he knew what he was doing. He had done this before. That was obvious. What was surprising was she had never seen Tesla so gentle. Here was a Pikachu who is always grumpy and ready to lash out without warning, carefully grooming a relative without being aware he was doing it. What spurred him to act this way?

Mark's Pikachu wanted to find out.

When Tesla let go of her, Mark's Pikachu reached up and grabbed him under his armpits. That broke the spell, and Tesla's eyes popped open.

_"Morning, Tesla," _Mark's Pikachu chirped.

Tesla didn't respond right away. His eyes blinked, his brain spraining a lobe trying to figure out what was going on. _"Did I just groom you?" _he said.

_"Yes, you did, and you were quite good at it."_

Tesla took a deep breath. _"Oh."_

His hands started fluttering around the couch. Slow at first, then desperate. Mark's Pikachu sat up and grabbed his eye-goggles, then handed them to Tesla. His eyes went big with relief. _"Oh, thank you," _he said. _"It would be a disaster if I lost them."_

Tesla put on his goggles and adjusted them. _"Ah, much better. I don't even know how they came off."_

_ "Why did you come sleep with me?" _Mark's Pikachu asked.

Tesla shrugged. _"I just found an old video from Mark's USB sticks, it brought up some old memories. Happy memories, but memories from another time."_

Mark's Pikachu glanced at the corner of the room. _"I don't know if this means anything, Tesla. But, it seems ancient."_

_ "What is it, Sweetie?"_

_ "Back in Dixie, when I was a Pichu, my mama would sing me a song to sleep. I could still hear the song in my head. She claims her mama had sang it to her, who her mama sang it to her as well."_

_ "What's the song?"_

Mark's Pikachu turned to Tesla and said, _"I think you know."_

Tesla wrapped an arm around her back, _"I know I may be hard on Mark, and may be hard on you and your friends. I know I may have told you this a gazillion times, but I'll say again: I used to be like you _way _before I met Polly. My mama was just like your mama and my dad was just like your dad. I also had an old Pikachu I looked up to and had many siblings, cousins, uncles, and aunts. I would trade all the prestige and years of Pokémon battling glory to get that old life back."_

Mark's Pikachu said, _"You can get it back. The Dixierats are your family, we'll support you no matter what."_

Tesla nodded. _"A family I've created, not the family I was raised with."_

The old Pikachu got down from the couch and stretched his legs. _"Today's the day, Pikachu. Today is the day. You're ready for a moment of a lifetime?"_

Mark's Pikachu nodded. _"Yeah!"_

Tesla turned around and shot her a look, she froze. _"I'm going to warn you, you're going to get a taste on how I see the world. Things will go up fast. You've already seen a part of it back in Dixie, but this is going to be much worse. And I'm not going to lie to you, we might not survive this."_

_ "How can we better the odds?" _

_"Get yourself and Mark's Pokémon to the outskirts of Fort Wernher. Bring Bubbles if you want, just be ready to start running once the first shot is fired."_

Mark's Pikachu nodded. _"I can do that."_

Tesla smiled. _"I know you can, you were bred for hardcore survival."_

The old Pikachu turned and left the room, leaving Mark's Pikachu to process Tesla's instructions. _Today is the day, _she thought. _I better get ready._

She turned to Emolga and Bubbles and shook them awake. _"Guys," _she said. _"Wake up, we have to go!"_

Emolga grumbled and moaned. _"But I'm hungry, can we eat first?"_

_ "Grab whatever you can carry, there's no rush. We just need to be outside before Fort Wernher caves in."_

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	40. Chapter 40

_Chapter 40_

Tesla stepped out of the command bunker and scanned Fort Wernher. The sun was well over the horizon and still climbing. The world was silent, still sleepy, but waking up. Tesla saw the conscripts were eating breakfast around campfires. He wasn't feeling hungry, the smell of food failed to arouse him. His mind was on other issues.

Scout came running up to him, his face looking desperate. _"Tesla," _he cried. _"You better get to the infirmary!"_

Tesla's heart dropped. Did something happened to Nobark? Did he tried to commit suicide despite last night's talk? The old Pikachu steeled himself, then said, _"What happened?"_

_ "Wotter," _Scout said. _"Wotter's been attacked!"_

A wave of relief came over him, yet quickly replaced by concern. Wotter was a tough son-of-a-b*tch, how could he be injured? Then he remembered coaxing Smugleaf to guilt yesterday over Bubbles, and the pieces fell into place. Tesla said no more, he just dashed past the Patrat and ran straight for the infirmary. Scout followed behind, yet took his time.

Tesla opened the door and dashed inside. He found Wotter lying in an infirmary bed, just next to Swoo IV. His face was covered with sweat and anguish, the Discipline Pokémon groaned under his breath as his hands gripped the side rails. Tesla turned to Tendon, her face displaying horror. The Hearing Pokémon's hands and chest were covered with blood. She sat in a nearby chair with her chin propped in her hands, still trying to process her recent patient. Tesla glanced at the operating table, blood had pooled on its surface.

_"What happened?" _Tesla asked.

Tendon jumped, then blinked. She looked up and said, _"I don't know, but it was bad. I never seen anything like this before, it's unheard of."_

As Tesla approached Wotter he quickly noticed that his scalchops were gone, nothing but matted fur where they once lay. _"Where's his scalchops?"_

Tendon point to the back counter, both scalchops sat on the counter. Tesla pulled up a stool to support himself, then examined the scalchops. Both shells were smashed in three dozen fragments. Tesla picked up a shard and felt it with his fingers. Scalchops don't just break. They're not like pottery or ceramic. Scalchops were designed to withstand unprecedented abuse, they can stop Pokémon attack, even small handgun rounds. Whatever fractured the scalchops must be a blunt object, something strong with a lot of tensile strength. Again, scalchops don't break easily, but whoever destroyed Wotter's seemed to have smashed them in one hit.

Tesla sat the scalchop fragment down, then approached Wotter. The Discipline Pokémon's eyes fluttered open. He could barely keep them open, Tendon must have pumped morphine into his system to numb the pain.

Then Tesla saw it. Wotter's groin was freshly bandaged. The gauze was already oozing blood. Tesla stepped away and turned back to Tendon. _"Genital mutilation?"_

Tendon nodded, but said nothing.

_"Who do you think might done this?"_

_ "Whoever sliced off his gonads did it with a crude blade. Obviously not surgical, it's more like a dull saw being used as an ax. It was a bloody mess, Wotter's anemic and I don't have any blood packs to give him."_

_ "Give him iron supplements."_

_ "I already did."_

A moment of silence.

Tesla asked, _"Anything else missing?"_

Tendon shook her head. _"Nah, nothing else is missing. His penis is still there, untouched._

Tesla said nothing.

_"Nobark found him, made him puke."_

_ "Where is he?" _Tesla asked.

_"He left Fort Wernher, saying he needed to take a moment to clear his head. He's been gone for ten minutes now."_

_ "Any idea where he's headed?"_

_ "No," _said Tendon. _"No, I don't."_

Tendon grabbed a bottle of beer off the counter and popped the cap off, then raised it to her mouth.

_"You'll need something stronger than beer."_

Tendon nodded. _"You're right, I know just the thing."_

The Hearing Pokémon got up and opened a cabinet, she reached inside and pulled out an unopened bottle of rubbing alcohol. _"Isopropyl alcohol never fails to get me drunk."_

_ "You're going to get wasted while caring for patients?" _Tesla asked.

Tendon frowned, _"Their conditions are stable, there's nothing I could do for them now."_

Tesla said, _"Alright then, just don't black out."_

**. . .**

Nobark wandered through the forest toward Springfield. He listened for humans and other Pokémon. He heard nothing, which surprised him. He never leave Fort Wernher without a squad behind his back. Now alone, the world felt empty of life. Was this caused by the PRA's actions, more specifically _his _actions? It would make sense. He had recruited some of the local Pokémon into the Cause, and for those who refused, he drove out. This forest wasn't a forest. A forest has all sorts of life teaming under its canopy. All this forest had were trees and bushes with nothing living in them. Nobark pulled back some bushes half-expecting a den or nest of some kind. He found nothing but dirt and twigs. Undisturbed bare earth, inert for years. Maybe Patrats had made a nest under those bushes one time. Maybe those Patrats in question now live in Fort Wernher, doing their best to keep a lookout for intruders.

_A man chooses, _the voice of Nobark's long dead trainer says. _A Pokémon obeys._

Nobark had to take a moment to be sure it wasn't his other personalities, to be sure it was just his imagination. An echo from the past, so cold and dead.

As Nobark approached Springfield, he wasn't sure what to expect. He imagined construction workers moving from building to building, fixing up the electrical wiring destroyed by Tesla. Nobark pictured cops patrolling down the roads. Riotguns in hand, loaded with rifled slugs. If that's the case, then Nobark would have to go to Carbondale and do his business there. Nobark popped his shoulders and flexed his aging muscles. He was still physically strong, his bones still structurally sound. However his heart was tired, his liver mostly scar-tissue, his left eye forever blind. When was the last time he had a proper health checkup? Nobark couldn't remember, in fact he couldn't remember much of anything now. His memories were blurring themselves out of existence, his other personalities filling them in.

Springfield came into view. Instead of construction workers or URP officers, he discovered something else. Box vans, semi trailers, those big trucks that haul tons of goods, line the streets of Springfield. Nobark squinted his good eye. People were going in and out of buildings, hauling large appliances and sealed cardboard boxes. The humans had a heavy set of brawn. Arms the size of thighs, waists as thin as ballerinas. They stood two and a half meters tall, a little more than the average human. Their heads were a fingertip away from grazing the door frames as they came out of the building, hauling the large equipment with pure muscle. Nobark gulped, he may be a fighting-type Pokémon but those humans might break his neck with one hand. Just what were they doing?

_Moving, _he thought. _They're moving stuff into trucks and hauling them away, the town is dying._

The Hoodlum Pokémon emerged from the forest and stepped into Springfield, steering clear of the movers. He headed over to the Springfield Pokémon Center. The windows where Tendon had broken were boarded with plywood. A sign lay adorned on the door, the word _Closed _spelled out in big red bolded letters. Nobark held up a fist and knocked on the automatic doors, the waited.

The automatic doors slid aside, revealing a tired Nurse Joy. She became alert when she saw Nobark standing before him. Her eyes met his. The Hoodlum Pokémon resisted the urge to head-butt her, surprisingly it wasn't that difficult to do.

Before Nobark could speak, Nurse Joy blurted. "Oh my Arceus, you look sick! Here, let me-"

Nobark held up a hand. "Thank you, but I cannot receive your help."

Nurse Joy jumped back, giving Nobark some space. The Hoodlum Pokémon remained planted where he was, a minute of silence passed as Nurse Joy struggled to process what she heard.

"You're PRA are you," she said.

Nobark simply shrugged. "I am the PRA."

"You and your lackeys destroyed Springfield, kidnapped my Audino."

Nobark said nothing.

"Where is he?"

"I have no idea. _My _Audino is responsible for the damage done to your Pokémon Center _and _the kidnapping of your Audino." Then Nobark said, "Look, we can play the blame game as long as you like. Just for the record, _I'm _responsible for raiding Springfield. I just need to use your videophone to confess this. That is all."

"Why?" Nurse Joy asked.

"I'm not just sick, I'm dying. I'm dying and going insane. I pulled whatever sanity I could muster to come here. Honesty, I'm resisting all urges to attack you right now. I have multiple-personality disorder, and none of those personalities like people."

Nurse Joy said nothing.

Nobark said, "I just need to use your phone. Just please give me some space while I'm at it, I can't hold myself together forever."

Nurse Joy glanced over Nobark's shoulder, then said, "Alright, but make it quick. If you're not gone after thirty minutes, I'm alerting the authorities."

"And what can they do? I'm bullet-resistant and powerful, I've been trained for survival. You might as well poke me with a stick."

Nurse Joy took a deep breath, then let go. "Just make it quick."

"Roger."

As Nurse Joy wandered into the back room, Nobark stepped inside. The place had just been cleaned up. Nobark could still see the faint traces of broken glass and dust. He approached the videophone and picked up the receiver. Nobark had forgotten many things, yet he had never forgotten several phone numbers. Most of the people they belonged to were gone now, but there was still one left in the world. Nobark dialed in the number from memory on the videophone's touchscreen, then hit the call button.

It didn't take long for Matthew Kissinger's face to appear on the screen.

"Hello, old friend," said Nobark.

Matt was baffled, yet not surprised. "Nobark," he said. "It's been so long, Tesla had said you were going to call."

"He urged me to, and I don't blame him. I kinda wanted to anyway."

Matt said, "What happened to your eye?"

Nobark shrugged. "Got poisoned fifteen years back, forming a cataract. Old age later snuffed out whatever sight I have left in it."

"Just what have you been doing over there in Unova, Nobark?"

The Hoodlum Pokémon paused for a moment. "I don't know, I had an idea but I couldn't remember. The next thing I knew I'm not myself, I don't even know who I am anymore."

Nobark started from the beginning. He told Matt the compressed version of what he had been doing for the past fifteen years in ten minutes. He told him how he escaped Faraday Island, and how he reunited with another old friend to start up the Pokémon Resistance Army. Nobark told him how he built up the PRA and settled them in an abandoned military outpost. He told him how, from a vague point-of-view, how he had been committing atrocities in Soho and around Unova. He thought he was in control, but then he realized he was not.

Nobark couldn't hold back his tears.

Before Matt could say anything, Nobark stopped him. "I'm f*cked, Matt. I'm f*cked from two different forces. My own system is about to give out and I'm wanted by the URP and the local police agencies around here. There's no way out for me, I'm done. Finished. I might as well plan my own funeral."

"Is Tesla doing what he can?" Matt asked.

"He had done a lot, quality of life improved around Fort Wernher. Tesla never had lost his touch, but I could tell he has mellowed down." Nobark then added, "Your grandson brought over a cache of Irvin's files by the way."

"Tesla said you had him locked up."

Nobark said, "That is true. He was on the verge of throwing tantrums. The only thing he kept asking was where his Pokémon at."

"You haven't been hurting him, have you?"

"I honestly don't know, I'm losing my sense of reality here. Tesla has him covered, that's for sure. But for everything else, I don't know."

A moment of silence.

"Matt," said Nobark. "Sooner or later, I don't know when. I might . . . come home. Tesla will send some friends over with Mark, they'll both take care of what needs to be done."

Nobark closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against the videophone. "I've missed Irvin for all these years. I wished I had a proper retirement."

Matt said in a calm and cool voice. "You will, Nobark. I promised you that."

Nobark looked up and said, "Tesla will take care of me. Whatever happens, don't be hard on him. I already asked Tesla a favor and he says he will do it. I'm not sure if Mark will take things from there, but I'm sure he will."

"He's the kind of guy that does."

Nobark smiled, "So were you when you were younger." Then he said, "Goodbye, old friend."

"Goodbye, Nobark. I love you."

"I love you, too."

Nobark placed the receiver on the cradle and Matt's face disappeared from the touch screen. He sat there for a moment, sorting through his memories. Bits and pieces surfaced, but not much was memorable. Nobark sighed, he turned around and stepped toward the middle of the lobby, then glanced at the back room. It was empty. Nobark poked his head in and found the window was wide open.

_She must have bailed out._

Nobark took the opportunity to use the restroom. He walked in and skimmed through the shampoo dispenser. Nobark selected the vanilla scent, and the dispenser ejected the travel-size shampoo bottle. The Hoodlum Pokémon took it and stepped into the showers. He switched it to warm. A blast of cold water rained down from above. Nobark couldn't remember the last time he ever had a shower. Sponge baths took care of his hygiene for the past fifteen years, and river-water five years before that. Nobark dumped all the shampoo on his head and body, then lathered it in. The loose fur fell off and clumped together on the shower floor. He pulled down his pelt to his ankles and cleaned out the loose dirt and grime. A pool of gray water formed in his pelt. Nobark scooped out the water with his hands as the shower continued to fill it. The pool soon became clear. Nobark scraped off whatever loose dirt he could find before shutting off the water.

He stepped out feeling refreshed. Memories started to resurface. Decades before, Irvin had installed a large master shower. Officially he called it his "decontamination shower" as it was originally designed to wash off biological and chemical contaminants on one's person. The whole thing was moisture-sealed, the build-up of steam goes up in an air-vent where it is ejected out the roof of the house. On occasion the "decontamination shower" served its purpose, but most of the time it cleans people and Pokémon alike. Nobark sighed, he missed that shower.

The Hoodlum Pokémon grabbed a toothbrush from another dispenser, along with a small tube of toothpaste. Nobark went up to the sink and brushed his teeth. Cleaning his teeth was difficult during his entire time in the PRA. He took a stick and gnawed on one end till it became feathery with hairs, then he uses it to clean the plaque off his teeth. It worked fairly well, though he wished the brush was angled on the side, and he wished he had toothpaste on hand. Nobark brushed for five minutes and spat out the paste. He licked his tongue across his gums. The plaque was gone. He tossed the toothbrush and toothpaste into the trash can and stepped out of the bathroom.

Flashing red and blue lights greeted him.

Nobark froze. URP or local police, he wasn't sure. Whoever they are they probably had him surrounded, waiting for him to come out. Maybe the Nurse Joy had alerted them. That would make sense, it also explained the open window in the back.

The flashing lights shut off.

Nobark took the time to dash to the back room. The window was still open. He climbed up on the edge and dropped outside. Nobark sprang back to his feet and held his pelt high. He dashed to the woods without looking back.

**. . .**

The Carbondale Pokémon Center doors slide open and a horde of Pokémon charged in. Rex jumped, he was just about to get out his gun until he saw the Audino with the injured Patrat. A Pansage followed suit, then a Minccino. All their furs were filthy and matted and they smell terrible. They looked like PRA, but their eyes told a different story.

Agent Jenny slapped her hand on her 9mm Glock and stood up.

"Aud Aud!" the feral Audino cried.

Nurse Joy and her Audino came in. The Hearing Pokémon didn't need to be told. It went into the back room and got out a stretcher. The foreign Audino was just about to haul the Patrat onto the stretcher when Agent Jenny drew her gun. "Hold it right there!"

Rex ripped open his backpack and grabbed his revolver, he pulled the hammer back and aimed it at the Audino. The Pokémon froze. Nurse Joy and her Audino backed off, the feral Audino dropped the Patrat on its butt and held up both hands.

"Are you PRA?" Agent Jenny asked.

"No," said a voice. "I am!"

Rex turned toward the door and saw a Snivy standing there. The Grass Snake Pokémon was clean compared to the others. A knife was strapped to its back, snugged tight in a leather holster. It was armed a small .22 revolver, the hammer pulled back and primed. Rex noticed its arm was bandaged, suggesting it had been injured recently. Its good arm gripped the tiny revolver, two of its tiny fingers just barely touching the trigger.

Agent Jenny turned to aim the gun, yet the Snivy held up hers. "Now what do we have here?"

The Snivy's surprisingly human voice sounded female, hinting a slight country dialect. She knew how to speak the human language, which confirmed her as PRA. The feral Pokémon stared at her, weary of what she would do. The Snivy shot a look at Agent Jenny, saying. "You're wearing pants instead of a skirt, you're Interpol?"

"Yeah," said Agent Jenny, she shifted her gun and aimed it at her. "And I'm here because of you."

The Grass Snake Pokémon wasn't fazed at her gun, she simply said. "These Pokémon were taken prisoners by the Pokémon Resistance Army for a reason that didn't make any sense. I brought them here because Fort Wernher is going to go into meltdown."

Rex glanced at Sara and Volts. They were both huddled underneath the coffee table, shaking their fur off. Snivy turned to him. Rex returned eye-contact, his gun aimed and ready. "Who are you exactly?"

"My name's Smugleaf Stucky," said Smugleaf. "I had a humble beginning like all other Pokémon, and then my trainer got eaten alive and I have been on my own ever since."

"Your trainer taught you to speak?" Rex asked.

"No, I learned it myself."

Smugleaf glanced at the feral Audino, then said, "That Patrat needs medical attention, he had his kneecaps blown off. He has waited too long already."

Without turned toward Nurse Joy, Agent Jenny said, "Get the Patrat onto the stretcher and take it to the next room. That Audino who brought it in, stay where you are where I can see you."

The feral Audino got on its knees and kept its hands held up. Nurse Joy and her Audino quickly moved in and hoisted the Patrat onto its knees, then wheeled it into the next room. When the door shut behind it, Rex asked Smugleaf, "What do you want, exactly?"

"You need my help," said Smugleaf. "I got several more Pokémon waiting for rescue at Fort Werner while the PRA is wondering what is happening. We can argue about this all hour, but we don't have much time. When they figure out it was-"

"What do you mean _we?"_ Agent Jenny asked.

Smugleaf frowned, "I'm part of the PRA inner circle, and I've just attacked another for personal reasons that had been building up for years."

"What did you do?" Rex asked.

"You don't wanna know, all I could say is there was a lot of blood."

The Swoobat, who was sleeping on the couch, woke up. His eyes shot open when he saw Smugleaf. The Courting Pokémon leaped up on the edge of the couch and raised its wings, "Swoobat! Swoobat!"

Smugleaf's face showed recognition and surprise, yet she said nothing.

"This Swoobat was sent by Tesla Westinghouse," said Rex. "The Pikachu wearing the engineer goggles. Where is he and is he alright?"

"He had me on a tight leash the moment he first arrived. Turned my own knife on me, threatening genital mutilation if I ever try to "violate" him or his friends."

"Is he alright?" Rex asked again.

"He is fine, but he doesn't know about what I did. That Mark Kissinger guy is locked up, but his Pokémon are free to move around. Tesla didn't want me near them, yet Mark's Emolga is an old friend of mind."

"Old friend?"

Smugleaf said, "I knew that Emolga longer than she's been together with Mark, I know this because we grew up with the same Pokémon breeder. Those were happier times." Then she said, "Can we please put down the guns, I'm not here to do a Pokémon standoff."

Agent Jenny didn't move, she just kept the gun trained on her.

"Swoo! Swoo!" the Swoobat pleaded.

Rex sensed Smugleaf was telling the truth. Whatever she did in Fort Wernher, that was her business. What is clear is she was willing to help him. Rex placed his thumb on the hammer and depressed the trigger, disengaging the quick-draw. He sat his gun inside his backpack. Smugleaf switched on the safety and pulled the bolt back, then slung it over her shoulder.

"Lower the gun, Jenny," said Rex.

"I need to arrest her," said Agent Jenny.

"You don't need to, we can interrogate her here."

Agent Jenny glanced at him, unsure about him. "Well then. If that's the case, lock down the entire Pokémon Center. Nobody's getting in or out."

**. . .**

Smugleaf watched the man lock the front door and windows. He then took Stanton's Pokémon and the Springfield Audino to the restroom where they washed themselves clean. Agent Jenny ordered Smugleaf to sit on the couch, the gun kept trained at the Grass Snake's forehead. Smugleaf walked around and approached the couch. Before she could sit down, Agent Jenny reached out and yanked the .22 revolver out of her hand. A ping of fear shot through Smugleaf when Agent Jenny unholstered her knife. Smugleaf was about to protest but stopped herself. She had to cooperate, begging for her knife back won't do her much good.

The man came back out with Stanton's Pokémon and the Springfield Audino, he led them to the cafeteria where he got them something to eat. The Audino came out of the cafeteria. He munched on the sandwich as he got a spot on a separate couch. Swoo I sat next to him. Both Pokémon seemed relaxed.

Smugleaf glanced down and noticed a Raichu and a Pichu under the table, the former clutching the latter. There were fear in their eyes. Smugleaf had felt such fear before, she could understand their thoughts. _They're afraid of me, _Smugleaf thought. _Like all the Pokémon I've ever encountered._

The man sat down and ushered both Mouse Pokémon out of the table. They protest, but he insisted. Both chus glanced at Smugleaf, then hesitantly climbed out from underneath the table. She watched them curl up beside their trainer as he wrap an arm around them both. The man then turned to Smugleaf, then said, "My name is Rex Anderson, and I'm a Pokémon Doctor from Kanto. What do you know about the PRA?"

Smugleaf shrugged. "The general description is that we're trying to liberate Pokémon from their trainers and overthrow the entire economic system, so we can reclaim the world under equal terms with humanity. However, the idea was shot. Instead we've been killing trainers, recruiting their Pokémon, then break them in to fit our twisted radical idea."

"How did you join?"

"I joined voluntarily. I was on my own, wandering Unova, just getting by. I still remember the day when I just got done bathing in the Nimbasa River when Nobark approached me. Back then he was more stable, the idea he harbored about Pokémon rights sounded convincing. He didn't seem so insane back then, but I knew there was something odd about him. After a short chat, he welcomed me aboard, and overtime I grew to like him. These days I'm worried about him, because his problems were taking over his life, making it hard on all of us. Just recently the orders he gave us made no logical sense. But only one order so far did."

"What was that order?"

Smugleaf said, "He sent me to capture your friends, so he could take them hostage and force Tesla to do his bidding, which Tesla did without objections."

"How did he take it?"

Smugleaf said nothing, she simply raised her broken arm.

"He did that?" Rex asked.

"I held that knife up to his throat, Nobark had me to. I was convinced we had him under our control, but he made an example of me that we didn't." Then Smugleaf added, "He threw me against the wall, then proceed to beat the sh*t out of me with his fists. He was so strong that I couldn't fight back. Tesla gotten a hold of my knife, and for a moment I thought he was going to slice off my vines as they were strewn all over the place."

"What did he do?" Rex asked.

"He left me there, and I went and sought medical attention with our medic."

"Tendon."

Smugleaf looked up at Rex. "Yes, Tendon. You heard the story?"

"I've heard it all."

Smugleaf glanced at the Springfield Audino, eying his sandwich. Her mouth began to water. She caught herself slipping into a trance and snapped out of it.

"You're hungry?" Rex asked.

"I hadn't eaten lunch yet."

"How about breakfast?"

Smugleaf thought about Wotter for a moment. "Sort of."

Rex got up and went to the cafeteria, within a minute he came out with a sandwich in his hand. Smugleaf's eyes widen as he presented it to her. "Go on, take it."

Smugleaf hesitated at first, eventually she took it. The Grass Snake Pokémon examined it. The sandwich had mayonnaise, lettuce, cheese, and a slice of tomato. An image of her trainer Alice came to mind, slicing tomatoes with her knife. Smugleaf blinked, and the image of Alice disappeared.

"You're alright?" Rex asked.

"Flashback," Smugleaf admitted. "Happier times."

Smugleaf took a bite out of her sandwich, it even tasted like how her trainer made it.

Agent Jenny said, "What's the layout of Fort Wernher, its access points and such?"

Rex held up a hand. "Give her a moment, Jenny."

Smugleaf swallowed, then said. "The fort is an abandoned military outpost. Most of the boundary is surrounded by a four meter tall chain-linked fence, the rest is bordered by the warehouse wall. You can only get in through the East gate and the warehouse, everything else is sealed tight."

"No tunnels?"

"None that I know of."

"What do you mean, 'None that I know of?'"

Smugleaf groaned. "I've lived in Fort Wernher for fifteen years, nobody in their right mind would dig a tunnel underneath the base. Tunnels will collapse and cause sinkholes on the surface, and the Pokémon there are too lazy to maintain anything. Tesla managed to get them to burn all the trash they had and cleaned up the place, but the fort still smelled like stale beer and rotten meat. So if there were any tunnels, they would've collapsed a long time ago."

Agent Jenny sat there and consider her options. Smugleaf was frustrated, paranoid, and scared. She didn't wanna be a wanted international criminal, she would pull whatever hair and scale off her body if that happened. Smugleaf glanced at Rex, giving him her best merciful eyes. Rex simply shrugged, signaling he couldn't do more for her.

Well, not for her at least.

Agent Jenny looked up again. "How much time do we have?" she asked.

"Not much time," said Smugleaf. "Nobark would soon realize he has traitors or he would start becoming paranoid about all the bad luck that has happened." Then she asked, "Am I under arrest?"

Agent Jenny shook her head. "I'm not here to arrest anybody. However, I have authorization to euthanize any Pokémon I see as a potential hazard to human life." She leaned forward, looking Smugleaf directly in the eye as she said, "I have my eye on you. I don't know what you did in Fort Wernher that caused you trouble or what crimes you've committed in Unova. I've believed you that you freed those Pokémon, but you have no credibility to say you're here to help. At any time I see you stepping out of line, or threatened to attack Rex, me, or any other human being that is in that fort, I'll shoot you on the spot without question. Do we understand each other?"

Smugleaf nodded. "Loud and clear."

A part of Smugleaf wondered if she had made the right decision to come here. Stanton's Pokémon were free and no longer a problem, but she was not out of the woods yet. Not only she had unfinished business with Tesla, she now have problems with an Interpol agent. If the International Police comes in, Agartha would not hesitate to open its gates and swallow her in.

Things were about to escalate quickly.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	41. Chapter 41

_Chapter 41_

Tesla stepped inside the warehouse to see the mess for himself. The first thing that hit him was a coppery-pungent odor. The old Pikachu scanned the workshop, he didn't have to look hard. A stain of blood, now turning a crimson reddish-brown, was smeared across the concrete floor, leading up to the front door. Tesla followed the trail, it took him to the back of the warehouse out the back warehouse door. The old Pikachu opened up the back door and stepped out into the forest.

The trail led him to a corner of the warehouse, well covered by shadows and pallets. He found a pool of blood on the concrete ground. Blood was also splattered over the walls and pallets. A bloody mess. This was definitely the spot where Wotter was mutilated.

Tesla stepped off the concrete patio and scanned the dirt floor for any more evidence. He found signs of a struggle. Overturned and kicked dirt. Fresh broken twigs. Tesla scanned the forest floor and found some footprints. Leading away from the track, along with some drag marks. Tesla crouched and touched the tracks. They were small, really small, and oval-shaped.

The old Pikachu pressed his nose against the footprint and sniffed it.

_Smugleaf, _he thought. _I thought it was you._

He heard someone approaching, Tesla looked up. It was simply Nobark, returning from his walk. Tesla got up and stood there as Nobark approached.

"Morning," Nobark muttered.

"Morning," said Tesla. Then he asked, "What is with all this blood?"

"I have no idea," said Nobark. "All I know it belongs to Wotter, Tendon's taking care of him."

"I think Smugleaf must have something to do with this," said Tesla. "I found her tracks in the mud, they're fresh. So far she hadn't turned up today, which makes me wonder if she has something to hide."

Nobark reached up and patted Tesla on the shoulder. "You did enough today, Tes. I'll take care of it."

Tesla nodded. "Okay, then."

Nobark stepped inside the warehouse and shut the door behind him. Tesla stood there for a moment, staring at the back door. His thoughts went over Ash, Iris, Cilan, and Mark, all trapped in the human jail. He hadn't seen them in days, and Tesla had lost count of them. This could be the fifth or six day, maybe seven. Then the old Pikachu realized something. He should have went out and got Ash and his friends out _before _Nobark came back. It would save him a lot of trouble in the long run. Instead he pissed around with this crime Smugleaf may or may not have committed, because he needed her with him to escape. And there was Wotter to consider, and Woody. They might wanna leave Fort Wernher for a better life. However, Tesla wasn't sure about Tendon. Yes, she's a doctor. But she's corrupt, she may have even been born bad. Wotter of course was injured and it might be too soon to move him. There might be some luck for Swoo IV, though she might not be used to walking on her feet for a few kilometer. Iris might carry her though, but Tesla wasn't sure she was in the mood to show compassion to other Pokémon.

Tesla didn't waste any more time. He opened the door and scurried across the warehouse. He burst into Fort Wernher and dashed toward the Pokémon jail. Tesla didn't stop to see if anyone was watching him. He would worry about them when the time comes for it.

The old Pikachu found Woody packing up the beverage cart. Tesla rushed up to him and said in human speech, "Open the cells, all of them. Right now."

Woody blinked, surprised at Tesla's choice of language. _"What's going on?"_

"I'm done playing this game, that's what's going on. All the Swoobats are out for the count and Smugleaf might have attacked Wotter. The stress is building upon Nobark and I can tell you that he isn't going to take it anymore."

Woody stared at him in confusion. So Tesla grabbed him by the neck and forced him against the wall. The Timburr yelped, Tesla said, "I don't know if I should trust you or not but you seem to be the trustworthy type. You get all these Pokémon and take them outside of Fort Wernher to the ditch Northeast of here. Mark's Pokémon are there waiting for me. You leave Ash and his friend's Pokémon there with them and then go back and get Swoo IV. Don't worry about Tendon and Wotter, I'll handle them myself."

Tesla let the Muscular Pokémon go, he gasped for air and massaged his neck. _"Okay, Tesla. I'll, I'll get them out!"_

Tesla said, "Just one more thing."

He walked up to Ash's Pikachu's cell and undid the latch. When he opened it up, he found Pikachu where he left him, still lying face down, with the Joltik still on his head. Pikachu looked worse than before, his fur was matted and greasy and his eyes were sunken in. A pile of feces had built up in the corner, the smell was horrendous enough to make Tesla's stomach tighten. The old Pikachu walked up to Pikachu and stared down the Joltik. "Get off of him!"

The Joltik hesitated, but he eventually crawled off of Pikachu and stepped aside.

Tesla grabbed both of Pikachu's cheeks. They were warm and clammy, he must be having a fever. The old Pikachu pumped the younger one with electricity. The whole room flashed a neon violet. Tesla paced himself. He didn't wanna force too much charge and cook Pikachu. Tesla just wanted him rejuvenated enough to move on his own.

After a full minute, Tesla let go. Ash's Pikachu's eyes fluttered open. He looked a lot better but he was still sick.

"I'm getting you out of here, Buddy," said Tesla.

_"Ash," _Pikachu muttered.

Tesla helped him up to his feet and led him out of the cell. "I'm taking Ash's Pikachu with me," he told Woody. Then he said, "Joltik, keep an eye on Woody. Make sure he doesn't go rouge."

_"Aye, aye, Boss!" _the Joltik chirped.

Both Mouse Pokémon stepped outside. Pikachu squeezed his eyes shut as he stepped into the sun. Tesla hoisted him onto his back and grabbed his legs. "Hang on, Buddy. I'm going to take you to Ash, just bear with me here."

_"I don't feel so good," _said Pikachu.

Tesla readjust Pikachu's position and kept on jogging. Ash's Pikachu was lighter than he had remembered. The time being locked in that cell while being drained of electricity had took his toll on him. Could he go back to Pokémon battling again? A part of Tesla wished he wouldn't. The amount of injuries he had sustained throughout his own battling career would make any Pokémon have second thoughts. Tesla wasn't going to force the issue on him or on Ash. Getting them to safety was his priority, where they go after Soho was up to them.

Tesla scanned Fort Wernher for other Pokémon. He was getting attention. Several PRA conscripts had noticed him but did nothing. They just stood there, just watching him. Tesla didn't see any guns, but he could bet they can be drawn within seconds. The question was: Would they have the nerve to fire at him?

When he made it to the human bunker, Tesla burst inside and sat Pikachu down. He shut the door and locked it, Tesla hoped that door would hold long enough to form a plan. The old Pikachu rushed up to Ash's cell and disengaged the crossbar, then pulled the door open. Ash was lying on the concrete bed. He had taken off his jacket. Ash had folded it up and was using it as a makeshift pillow. His hat sat at the edge of the bed, it looked like it was dropped there.

The kid looked up. His eyes were sunken in, however he seemed hardier than Pikachu. Tesla said, "Hurry up, Ash. I don't have all day."

"What's going on?" Ash asked.

"I'm getting you and your friends out of here, of course!"

Ash swung his legs over the edge of the bed and put his jacket and hat on. When he stepped out, he saw Pikachu sitting on the floor before him. Ash's eyes went big, mixed with glee and shock. "Pikachu!"

The kid picked up his Mouse Pokémon and cradled him in his arms. Tears trailed out both their eyes. Pikachu smiled and hugged his trainer back. _"Ash!"_

"Hang on to him, Ash," said Tesla.

Tesla rushed up to Mark's cell and opened it up. He found Mark up and ready, his backpack on, with the Desert Eagle clamped to his hand. The old Pikachu blinked as the tall scrawny soldier boy stepped out. "Six days," said Mark. "Six days I've been in that cell, do you have any idea how close I was to losing my mind?"

Mark's tone was bitter, rude, and harsh, not like the Mark Tesla knew. Tesla shrugged, "I've gone months in a cell. You're not beating my record anytime soon."

Mark smiled, "Damn right I'm not."

Ash said, "Where are the others?"

"Yeah, Tesla," said Mark. "Where's my girls?"

Tesla said, "Woody is bringing them out of the Pokémon jail and getting them to safety." He turned to Mark and said, "Your Pokémon are waiting for us outside of Fort Wernher, that's where we'll all meet up."

"Who's Woody?" Mark asked.

"The Timburr."

"You mean that gray fur ball whose been feeding us crap and MREs all week, can he be trusted?"

Tesla shot him a look. "If he can't, then go ahead and shoot him. Otherwise, you'll be in charge of taking him and most of Nobark's inner circle out of Unova and into Faraday Island."

Mark blinked. "My dad won't let anymore Pokémon stay in his house."

"Then they will stay at your grandfather's house. If not, then just turn them loose once they get to the island." Tesla asked, "Mark, I know you've been through all sorts of sh*t, but we have Pokémon here who don't agree with Nobark's decisions and actions. I know they are responsible in locking you up here, but we can't be harsh on them. The PRA formed because they think all humans are cruel. Prove them that not all of them are cruel by taking them under your wing, or at least temporarily."

Mark just stared at him. "Before I take any _more _Pokémon under my wing, I need to handle them first. I don't want filthy sex-addicted Pokémon near my Emolga, Pikachu, or my Cheering duo."

Tesla said, "You won't have to worry about that, I've took care of them."

Mark raised an eyebrow. "What did you do?"

Tesla said nothing.

Ash said, "What are we doing?"

Mark said, "I don't know, Tesla's running the show here."

Tesla walked up to Iris and Cilan's cells and forced their doors open. They came out within minutes. Fatigued and tired, they were more than eager to be free again. Iris's large hair was messed up, her clothes horribly tattered. Cilan was no better, but his self-composure seemed to be intact. Sort of. "Where's Axew?" Iris asked.

"Do we have a plan to get out of this catastrophe?" Cilan asked.

Mark said, "Apparently we're meeting with our Pokémon outside of Fort Wernher."

"We need to get our stuff first," said Iris. "They had taken it before they locked us up!"  
>Tesla said, "I'll go get them, you guys just wait with your Pokémon. If you hear shooting, you just run towards Soho and don't look back. Got it?"<p>

Ash asked, "So Nobark has our stuff?"

"Yeah, he does. He doesn't know this is happening yet. News travels slow to him. We may have thirty minutes to an hour before he figures something is wrong."

Mark said, "I'll go help you."

Tesla shook his head. "Mark, I appreciate the help but Nobark's a loose cannon. So dangerous that bullets bounce off of him. More than one monster occupies my best-friend's body and I'm one of the few beings alive who know how to handle him. The other being your grandfather."

"How does my grandpa handle him?" Mark asked.

"Being assertive," said Tesla. "Nobark listens to him well, but it is I who uses brute force to make him listen."

Mark nodded. "Go then. If you're not out after ten minutes I'm coming in there myself and drag you out."

"I'll try not to take too long."

Tesla turned around and head out the front door, Mark guided Ash and his friends out the back door. Little do they know, they had passed the point of no return. Pandemonium was not far ahead.

**. . .**

Nobark stared at the PVC folder, watching the sheen given off by the gloss of the plastic. The Hoodlum Pokémon had a lot of rough moments and made hard decisions, so why was this the hard part? He wanted to see the essays he had written. Mainly because he was curious, as he had forgotten about those essays long ago. Yet a part of him, a tiny part of him, refrained from getting near those slips of paper. Nobark never knew what that part is, but it didn't have a voice. A personality, yes, but no voice to speak to him with. Instead it warned him by gut instinct, yearned to pull him away and not get within a hundred meters from it. Nobark didn't understand, what was so scary about his own writing?

The Hoodlum Pokémon took a deep breath, listening to the buzzing of the florescent lights. Sweat trailed down the back of his neck, his mouth tasting raw. He wasn't sure if he was dehydrated or he was sick. Something else was wrong. Way wrong. It could be the stress mounting from the urge to read the essays, or it could be the opposite. Control, he wanted control. He needed to know who he once was from the world before. Those happier days of him under Irvin's care. The days where he lay underneath the morning sun in the meadow. The days where he sleeps on the couch on a quiet afternoon. The days where he battled huge Pokémon and crushed his opponents, raking in all the glory for himself. These essays were a fragment of those days, an echo. Not yet lost in time, just partially preserved for those to read.

Or to remind those what had happened.

Nobark gulped, he took a step forward toward the folder. His breathing became shallower with every step, his skin blistering with sweat. The Hoodlum Pokémon got with arm's reach of the folder and stopped. He held his breath and listened. Silence. Nobark rose his good hand and was surprised it was shaking. Had Parkinson's disease claimed his other arm? Upon closer inspection, Nobark realize he was anxious. He wasn't sure if he was ready to read the essays.

_You're never ready, _Tesla had once said to him years ago, _but sometimes you just have to do it._

Nobark lowered his hand over the folder and touched its glossy surface. The soft feel of plastic felt comforting to his stubby fingertips. Nobark walked his fingers across the folder and grabbed the zipper, he pressed his other hand on the folder and pulled the folder open.

The Scrafty let go and slumped onto the concrete floor, his eyes raining tears. _"I wanna do it," _he sobbed to himself. _"I just want to!"_

_ Then why aren't you doing it? _Judgment asked him.

_"I can't," _Nobark cried.

_Then let me help you._

With no voluntary effort whatsoever, Nobark watched his own body rise back up to its feet. His hand reached over and pulled the essays out of the folder. Nobark could smell the age emanating from the papers, and for some reason, a slight hint of sea salt. The papers shook tremendously in his hand, Nobark's eyes strain as he struggled to read the words.

The front page was blank.

_"Oh," _he thought aloud. _"There's nothing on there, nothing at all. I didn't write anything down, Mark lied. He-"_

_ "Turn them around you f*cking idiot!"_

Nobark covered his mouth. There were few times where Judgment, or any of his other personalities, would take control of his own vocal cords, his own mouth, against him. They don't sound like him, they weren't him. No, not in the sense he would like them to be. Nobark struggled to keep them locked in his head, forbid them use of his own body. Those barriers he had put up had been wading with time, due to instability and neglect, maybe even from illness and stress.

_I'm sorry, _Judgement's voice echoed softly in Nobark's head. _I didn't mean to be so rough like that._

_ It's affecting you, too. Hasn't it?_

_ You don't know what you're up against, Nobark._

_ Yes, I do. I'm up against myself. That's a fact. You and me are our own worst enemies, and so is Anger, Love, Happy, and-_

_ Happy's dead, Nobark. He died a long time ago._

Nobark sank to his knees. All those years had passed and he wasn't aware that he was missing something. Sure he felt he was missing something, but other emotions seemed to have backed it up. So who was impersonating them?

_Nothing makes sense anymore, _he thought.

Nobark sat up and stretched his legs, then grasped his essays. He turned them around.

Written on the first page was a neat set of handwriting. Nobark squinted, the handwriting was cursive. He hadn't seen cursive handwriting in years, or he thought he didn't. Was this really his handwriting?

_The refrigerator isn't working, _read the first sentence. _Someone left the freezer door open. Interestingly enough, all the ice cream was gone._

No misspellings or erase marks, this was fresh-off-the-pencil writing. Nobark skimmed through the essay. Memories started coming back to him. Vines wanted ice cream from the fridge, so he got some out and shared it with the others. Unfortunately he forgotten to close the fridge and it conked out overnight. Irvin wasn't really mad. He didn't even ask who left it open. Instead he bought a new refrigerator, saying, "I needed to get a new one anyway."

Nobark sat aside the essay and examined the next one.

The essay looked medicore compared to the last one. Big blocky letters, written with a combination of a pen and pencil, was marked all over the page. The words were smashed, even fused together. Nothing on the paper showed any signs of sentence lines or paragraphs. Nobark's brain ached as he scanned the page. He came more antsy, restless. He could only read one word, which was _crawl, _misspelled as _cral_, at the top corner of the page. Nothing surrounding the word suggested any context for its use.

Nobark grabbed his head and thought, _Did I write this?_

The Hoodlum Pokémon sat the page aside and scanned the third page. Neat printed words were lined across the page, albeit only one paragraph. _Happy two and fro, like mustard and ketchup. Third of November. _

"Now that didn't make any sense," Nobark thought aloud. "Just what does it mean? What does it mean!?"

The forth page only had one word printed in the middle, rows of horizontal lines surrounded the word. Nobark's one good eye could barely see it. The word was so small he had to hold the page up to his face and squint.

_Surreal._

Nobark dropped the page onto the table. He blinked, his mind was going numb. The Scrafty held up the fifth page and read it. This one was written as a journal log, the date was kind of familiar.

_Log 17 / 6 June / 1300 FT_

_ I couldn't do it. I just can't. Flashlight was my friend. How could I do something to a close friend?_

_ Irvin had rounded us up, and we were presented to a horribly mutilated Emolga. Poor Flashlight, his gut was split open. He was losing a lot of blood, there was no way he could survive the trip to the Pokémon hospital. We all knew this. Tesla simply stood by, looking away with his hand under his chin. I don't know what is going on inside his head. Nobody really knows. But what we do know is that he does not have much emotion to speak of. He had seen this before, he was used to gore._

_ Before I knew it the gun was placed in my hand. A .357 magnum, loaded with hollow-point. Flashlight's merciful eyes looked into mine as I struggled to hold up the gun to his head. A bullet to the brain stem would kill any Pokémon instantly. They wouldn't even feel it._

_ But I couldn't do it._

_ After what seemed like an eternity, I lowered the gun and handed it to Tesla. Without looking at me, he took it and pointed the gun at Emolga and fired. It sounded like a cannon, a deafening boom. The gun didn't jumped in Tesla's tiny hand, but it hit its mark. The bullet went through Emolga's eye and exploded out the back of his head. A messy kill, at least he didn't scream._

_ I don't know if Tesla's hand was hurting. The gun was huge compared to him. How he managed to grasp the gun with one hand and hold onto it while firing it is a mystery to me. He didn't show pain. No remorse. Yet he buried Emolga's body. By himself. It took him all night to do it._

_ No task is too complicated for my best-friend._

Nobark slapped the page on the table. He pressed his hand hard on the table and held it for a moment, then jumped back. The Hoodlum Pokémon dropped the rest of the pages onto the floor and gripped his head with both hands. He couldn't handle it anymore. The stress. The work. The emotions. The illnesses. His heart felt like it was ready to give out while his mind rot, the pain from Irvin's death worsening it like an infected wound. Nobark dropped to his knees and let out a mournful howl.

The next thing he knew was darkness consuming him.

**. . .**

Tesla dashed down the hallway of the command bunker as fast as he can, his mind swimming with thoughts. He felt stupid. Nobark was the prime threat and he had waited too long to act. There was no telling how much time he had lost in the past few days. With the whole vastness of the PRA descending upon Soho and its neighbors, he should have taken action the moment he had heard it. Ash and Mark f*cked things up, and he had to carry the burden of keeping their Pokémon safe while combating Nobark's wild side. The game had changed. All bets were off. Tesla swear at himself again, he had thought about getting Mark's stuff but not Ash and his friend's stuff. Was he finally slipping from old age?

The old Pikachu stopped at Nobark's door and took a deep breath, then knocked on the door.

No response.

"Nobark," Tesla called out, slightly spitting from his wild sprint. Another stupid mistake, he had used up his precious energy in the mad dash here. He was going to need every gram of it in the next few hours, things weren't looking good. "Nobark, are you in there?"

Again, no response.

A bad sign, Tesla could pretty much figure what had happened. Nobark was probably in there, succumbing to insanity. The moment he opened that door, Nobark will explode and his wild irrational personalities would attack him with force. Tesla braced himself, breathed, then charged at the door. The door frame gave way and flew open. There was Nobark, standing in the middle of the room. His back was turned to Tesla, he stood there with claw-like hands as he breathed heavily.

Tesla's heart sank, his best-friend for forty years was gone.

The Scrafty spun around and gave him that glare like he always does on occasion. Among all the moments where Tesla and Nobark horse-played, this was one moment where things were serious. Tesla looked at Nobark in the eye. The Hoodlum Pokémon froze, and like all Scrafties he took a moment to stare at him, then hunched his head forward and charged.

The fighting-type Pokémon was built for a heavy brawl. Tesla didn't have the muscle or the endurance to match his strength, but he knew Nobark's weaknesses. The Scraggy and Scrafty's heads are heavy due to the density of their skulls. The weight of their heads put considerable strain on their necks when used as a club. Heavy heads are clumsy, and can be difficult to maneuver. So when Nobark made his charge, Tesla waited for a split second before charging at Nobark's feet. The old Pikachu grabbled Nobark's shins and used the Scrafty's momentum to somersault over him. Nobark face-planted on the concrete floor, then rolled onto his back. With Nobark down, Tesla vaulted up in the air and swung his tail. The lightning-bolt tail turned to steel as it was flung one hundred eighty degrees. The old Pikachu nailed Nobark in his stomach, hitting him hard.

Nobark showed no signs of pain, he simply grabbed Tesla's tail and flung him out of the bedroom. Tesla yelped as he crashed into the concrete wall, it heard every joint in his back pop upon impact. The Mouse Pokémon collapsed on the ground in a world of hurt. His body felt numb, ready to give out. Tesla crawled back on his feet, just in time to see Nobark charge at him again. Tesla jumped to the side and gave Nobark a sharp kick in his kidney, the Hoodlum Pokémon yelped and sucker punched Tesla in the stomach in return. The Mouse Pokémon hit the ground, his lungs burning mad. Nobark's foot glowed white as he swung it up. Hi-Jump Kick, a powerful and vicious move. Tesla rolled just in time as Nobark's foot crashed into the floor, cratering the concrete.

Again, Nobark showed no signs of pain. No _normal _Scraggy or Scrafty can hold back a squeal from that much damage.

Tesla swung his foot and kicked Nobark in the back of his ankle. The Scrafty flipped, Tesla jumped back to his feet.

Then Nobark grabbed the fur around his collar and hoisted him up, then smashed him against the floor.

Tesla's shoulder-blade took most of the blow, he squeezed his hand into a fist and charged it with electricity. The Mouse Pokémon punched Nobark square in the solar plexus. The Hoodlum Pokémon gnashed, he grabbed Tesla by the arm and gave him a solid headbutt. One of Tesla's rotting teeth came loose and he tasted blood. Tesla gasped again as Nobark headbutted him in the solar plexus. Pain from old battle wounds ripped through his body, they felt like the day when he first injured them. Tesla rolled onto his front and started crawling toward the exit. Nobark grabbed him by the shoulders and lifted him up in the air, Tesla squeezed his eyes shut as he was thrown down the hall. He bounced twice before coming to a stop. Tesla spat out blood, everything hurts and smells bad. It reminded him of his Pokémon fighting days, illegal brawls in the back alleys of Faraday City. Back then he was younger, his stamina much more higher than now. Tesla had taken punches, kicks, and headbutts from bullies and other brawlers. The pain and fatigue was the same. The adrenaline was the same.

Then came the almighty hammer.

Tesla got on all fours and watched Nobark approached. He had notable bruises and damage. His eyes were wide with glaring rage. The Hoodlum crouched, kicking his legs before charging at Tesla for a third time. The old Pikachu took a deep breath and made a charge of his own. The space between both Westinghouse Pokémon shrank in milliseconds.

Both Pokémon collided with the force of a freight train. Tesla hit his mark. He plowed the top of his head into Nobark's collarbone. Nobark's head merely clipped him. The Hoodlum Pokémon let out a grunt as both Pokémon fell backward.

He got up on his feet and spat out more blood. Nobark lazily sat up. He gave Tesla a hard look. Tesla just stared at him for a second, then let out a nod. Just when Nobark sprang back to his feet, he heard someone whistle behind him. He spun around in surprise. Mark stood before the door, the Desert Eagle clamped firmly in his hand. He gave Nobark no time to react, he just pulled the trigger. The heavy .45 caliber round struck Nobark at the top part of his skull. Blood and bullet shrapnel flied everywhere as his head snapped back. Tesla held out an arm to shield himself as Nobark collapsed on his back, unmoving.

Mark lowered the gun and breathed. "F*cken great."

Tesla sank to his knees and panted. He was out of energy, his blood sugar plummeted. The old Pikachu's ears rang like a dinner bell. That Desert Eagle was damn loud.

Mark kept the gun clamped firmly in his hand and walked up to Nobark and nudged him with his foot. The Hoodlum Pokémon was unresponsive. Mark reached down and checked Nobark's pulse. "He's still alive," he said. "Nobark's thick skull stopped the bullet, but it sure knocked him out."

Tesla said nothing, he just sat there trying to get air into his lungs.

"Tesla," Mark asked. "Are you alright?"

The old Pikachu shot a glare at Mark, Tesla wiped the blood off his mouth with the back of his hand. "Yeah," he said. "I'm fine. Thank you, I don't know what came over him."

"His face was priceless, he looked like I caught him with his pants down." Mark glanced at Nobark for a moment, then asked, "Holy crap, Tesla. He nick you up good, there's a bad scrape on your head."

Tesla reached up to feel his forehead, but Mark stopped him. "Don't touch it, you'll make a bigger mess."

Mark's voice was calm and concerning, no sign of agitation or hate from days or stress. Tesla didn't know what to make of it, he just let Mark pick him up and cradle him in his arms. The old Pikachu glanced at Nobark. The bullet made a bad gash on his forehead and was bleeding badly. His face looked peaceful, despite the rage he had induced moments earlier. Mark held the gun up to Nobark, then asked, "You want me to put him down?"

Tesla's eyes shot open. "NO!"

Mark jumped, startled at Tesla's outburst.

Tesla calmed down and said, "We need him alive, Mark. I'll explain later, right now we need to get Ash and his friend's stuff and get out of here."

"Where are they?"

Tesla pointed toward Nobark's door. "Nobark's room, right there."

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	42. Chapter 42

_Chapter 42_

Tendon looked over Wotter multiple times, still half believing what she was seeing. The bandages she stuck over his wounds were already soaking with blood. Tendon grimaced, Wotter looked like hammered sh*t. Who would have done such a thing to him? She held her breath and placed an earlobe over Wotter's chest, then counted thirty seconds. Wotter's heart rate was low, his skin close to cold. She had some fresh blood bags stored in the fridge, however she did not know what his blood type is. The last thing Tendon wanted was to give Wotter the wrong type of blood and watch him go into shock. She was a trained medical professional, yet she had her limits.

The Audino placed a hand on her stomach. She didn't feel so good. Wotter was maybe her closest friend. The sex they had together was always amazing, never lacking. Tendon stared at the bloody diaper bandage, a part of her had trouble to accept they both would never cuddle again.

Tendon shook the thought out of her head, as bad as it is she had a job to do. The Hearing Pokémon got out a new roll of gauze and proceed to cut away the blood soaked bandages. She had seen a lot of grotesque things and managed to hold down her lunch, but this was getting to her. Tendon couldn't stand looking at her own stitches. She knew what Wotter's gonads look like, and seeing them no longer there…

_Get over it, Tendon, _she told herself.

Tendon removed the blood-soaked bandages and dumped them in the biohazard bin. She then got out a wash rag and cleaned the wound. Wotter lay silent, still unconscious from the experience. Once Tendon finished wrapping the wound, she taped it all down with medical tape and stepped back. Her bandaging was fine and dandy as always. Tendon had seen her fellow PRA members wrap up wounds and they couldn't get them to stay on, and sometimes the piss-poor bandaging would lead to infection. She turned away and sighed, her day was officially ruined, maybe for the rest of the week. Tendon picked up her opened beer bottle from the counter and stepped back into bedroom. She shut and locked the door, then slumped on her crude mattress. The Hearing Pokémon drunk down the bottle and set it aside, then laid there till she fell asleep.

The dream was twisted and surreal, so weird she couldn't remembered half of it afterwards. Tendon found herself back in Soho, the bundle of supplies she stolen hoisted over her shoulder. The dream followed the Soho raid as how she remembered it. She carried the supplies to the outskirts of Soho when, at the time, there was no wall enclosing the town. Her fellow new comrades running besides her, giggling and laughing like maniacs. She couldn't remember their faces, all she knew most of them were long gone now.

She flashed forward to the moment where she was hammering down beer like pop soda. It felt like the supply was endless. Tendon had a major hangover the next day, it was probably the only major hangover she ever had.

The Hearing Pokémon woke up still feeling tired. She sat up and yawned. The clock on the wall showed she hadn't been asleep for long. Just a couple of hours, no one had so far come to bother her. She looked down and placed both hands on her gut. Her girth was immense, even for an Audino her height. Tendon had gained a lot of weight in the first few weeks of joining the PRA. Mainly as for rebellion against the institution she grew up in, as if saying, "F*ck you, I'll do what I want!" Another reason was that she just didn't care anymore. She wanted to enjoy herself in every means possible. Tendon squeezed her love handles and lifted up her belly. Every other doctor would sh*t a brick if they see her. Maybe they would break down into a lecture about how bad obesity is, and the dangers it poses to her health. Tendon took a swig of the last of her beer, _F*ck them all the way to Agartha, _she thought. _I do what I want with my own body._

Tendon sat the empty bottle aside and got and stretched her arms and legs. She better get moving, she needed to know how bad things were really out there.

When she stepped out of her bedroom, she noticed something was off. It didn't take her long to see it.

Wotter was gone, Swoo IV too. Both Pokémon's beds were empty, nothing but rumpled sheets, and in Wotter's bed, small spots of blood.

She frowned. No way would Wotter get up and walk, the pain was too immense, and no way Swoo IV could carry him out of there. Someone had come in and collected them without telling her. Just exactly who?

Tendon opened the front door to the infirmary and stuck her head out. There, she saw it. Jogging away from the barracks was a tall bony human being. Tendon could see Wotter's head sticking out. He was cradled in the human's arms, apparently he was being careful with him.

A human in the base can only mean one thing: The security system was breached. The Swoobats are no longer scanning for threats and now humans have infiltrated Fort Wernher. What they were doing, she had no idea, all she know this won't sit well for Nobark. Tendon knew the PRA would one day be greatly challenged. Now that day had come. The Hearing Pokémon balled her fist. To those who knew her, she wasn't also a healer.

Tendon shut and locked the door, then walked to the back cabinets. They were locked. She went to her bedroom and grabbed the key, then came back out and unlocked them. She opened up the cabinets and reached inside and pulled out a long-barreled Remington 870. Attached to its sights was a mil-dot sniper's scope, specially crafted for hunting shotguns. Tendon received the gun after the first Soho raid by Woody, who was arming the pros and amateurs with weapons under Nobark's orders. At least once a month she take the gun out, cleaned it, then fire it in Fort Wernher's shooting range, then clean it a second time before putting it away. The shotgun can hold five shells, and often she load the chamber up with slugs. These heavy solid-shot rounds were more powerful than their bird and buck shot counterparts. With the iron sights she would hit whatever she aimed. With the sniper's scope, she could hit anything with a satisfying boom.

Tendon grabbed the weapons cleaning kit, then pulled up a chair. She sat down and proceed to clean out the shotgun. Pictures of potential targets came to mind, most of them human, but only two Pokémon she had a special interest in.

And both have pink fur.

**. . .**

Tesla secured Ash's friend's things at the back of the command bunker. He muscled Ash's and Cilan's backpacks out the back door, dragging Iris's messenger bag behind him. Mark came running up with Wotter in his arms. The old Pikachu frowned. "You've seen Woody?"

"The Timburr?" Mark asked.

Tesla nodded. "He's supposed to pick Wotter and the Swoobat up."

"The Swoobat wasn't there when I went to go get Wotter, Woody might have got it already."

Mark bent over and scooped up Ash's and Cilan's backpacks, then Iris's messenger bag. "You checked to make sure nothing is missing?"

"What do I look like, a quartermaster?" Then Tesla said, "Everything's accounted for. I've checked Nobark's things for anything that doesn't look like they belong."

Tesla handed Mark the PVC folder containing Nobark's crumbled essays and the USB sticks. "I'm not sure if I should forgive you for these."

Mark took the folder and asked, "Why?"

Tesla shot a look at him.

"Is this about Nobark?"

Tesla shook his head. "No, that's an entirely unrelated reason. There are things in that USB stick that I wish to forget, and Nobark f*cken showed me them last night."

"There's a lot of good things in there, why do you want to forget happier memories?"

"Cause a lot of my friends are dead, Mark. I have few friends left and one of them has gone insane, my social circle is all but a pile of bricks," Tesla turned and looked away for a moment, then spun around and shot a look at Mark. "You owe me big time after this, Mark. You better have something to offer that's much better than what your father and grandfather gave for me."

Mark stared at him for a moment. "So you had me locked up just to protect me?"

"Nobark would have shot you dead if I had said nothing about you. The bastard has a 'shoot first, ask questions later,' policy. If I didn't do what he says, he would have executed Ash, his friends, and their Pokémon, but not you or your Pokémon. Because I locked you up under my say so, Nobark did not, and so he had no authority to piss around with you or your Pokémon."

"But you," said Mark.

"Yes, me."

Mark peaked around the corner of the command bunker, then said, "Alright, the coast seems clear."

"Nobody saw you?" Tesla asked.

"I hugged the side of the fence, of course nobody saw me."

Mark adjusted the backpacks and started toward the human jail. Tesla followed along. Both he and Mark hugged the fence as they jogged around. When they got to the jail, Mark opened the door and found Ash and his friends standing around. "Got your things," said Mark.

Ash's eyes went big when he saw the bloodstains covering Tesla's head. "What happened to you, Tesla!?"

"What happened?" Cilan asked, just as flabbergasted as well.

"Nobark," said Tesla. "He attacked me, so I fought him mano-to-mano."

"What?"

Mark said, "He used his fists."

Ash turned back to Tesla. "Why not you just shock him?"

Tesla felt a surge of frustration rose up. He hammered it back down, then said, "I'll explain later, right now we just need to get out of here."

"What about the others," Iris asked. "Are you sure Axew is okay?"

"Woody's got them covered, they should be safe."

"You sure Woody can be trusted," Cilan asked. "The MREs he gave us were so undesirable, they made me ill. The water is even worse."

Tesla said, "If he can't be trusted, we'll take turns strangling his scrawny neck."

Mark smiled. "Mano-to-mano, no special moves?"

"Don't need my Pokémon training for this situation. The PRA wanna fight like people, so that is what I'm going to do. Remember, this is _not _a Pokémon battle. This is a Pokémon _war_. There are no rules and guidelines in a Pokémon war."

Mark put on his backpack and walked toward the back door, he pushed it open and said, "We better get moving, guys. The PRA know something is up, there's just no telling what they would do if they see us."

Tesla said, "You know what they'll going to do, Mark. They're not going to give you a chance to surrender if they catch you."

Mark said nothing, he just jogged out the door. Ash and Cilan put on their backpacks as Iris adjusted her messenger bag. Ash picked up Pikachu and cradled him in his arms. "Do you know what Rex is up to?" he asked.

"No clue," said Tesla. "He's probably getting ready to call the proper authorities, we better move before he does so."

The group jogged out and found Mark hugging the side of the chain-linked fence, his Desert Eagle aimed in the firing position. "You're not going to shoot them, are you?" Ash asked.

Mark turned to Ash. "What would you do if those Pokémon are shooting back?"

Ash said nothing, he simply readjusted Pikachu in his arms and scanned the area for hostiles.

Mark then turned to Tesla and asked, "Is this the east side?"

"Yes," said Tesla. "There's a gate eighty meters down the fence, hopefully Woody had unlocked it."

"And if it's not."

"Then that could mean Woody had turned against us and everybody's Pokémon's lives are at stake."

Cilan said, "What exactly goes on around here, Tesla? How do the Pokémon live life day by day?"

Tesla shrugged. "Lay around, drink, eat, sleep, clumsily shoot guns at random objects. Basically living life at its laziest."

"Their food?"

"Just as good as what you were eating in the past few days."

The group moved along the fence, Tesla kept his ears perked for noise in the distance. He glanced over at Ash. The kid remained silent, his eyes wide with caution. His older friends were keeping their cool, but were just as scared. Mark on the other hand look like he was ready to take on an entire army with nothing but his bare fists. He might as well be a martial arts fighter on TV rather than an army reservist.

As they passed the elite bunker, Tesla then remembered something. "Wait," he said. "I need to go get something in that bunker, I should be quick."

"You're not going to get beat up are you?" Mark asked.

"The only Pokémon who might be in there to beat me up is in your arms, I should be fine."

Mark shrugged, "Suit yourself."

Tesla opened the door and ran inside. First he broke into Wotter's bedroom and found his navy blue sweater laying on the bed. Tesla grabbed that, then dashed down the hall to Smugleaf's bedroom. Inside he found Bubbles, sleeping on Smugleaf's bed. Tesla nudged her awake. _"Bubbles," _said Tesla. _"Get up, girl. We're getting out of here."_

Bubbles's eyes flickered open, she let out a smile and said, _"I had a good time."_

Tesla held up his hand and slapped her across the face. Bubbles shook her head, blinking her eyes. _"Oh, uh. Hi, Tesla."_

_ "Where's Smugleaf?" _he asked.

_"I don't know, she said she went to go take care of something. She hadn't come back yet."_

_ "Well we're going out there to find her, so get up and follow me. There are some people I like you to meet."_

Tesla looked down and noticed Smugleaf's journal laying on the floor, he bent over and scooped it up. Bubbles got off the bed and followed Tesla down the hall. Her legs were wobbly, but she managed to maintain her balance. Had Smugleaf forced alcohol down her throat again, or was this the result of lack of exercise?

As they passed Wotter's bedroom, she unconsciously moved her hand across her stomach. _"My scalchop," _she cried.

_"Where do you think you've left it?" _Tesla asked.

_"In Wotter's room," _she said. Bubbles nervously glanced inside the bedroom and asked, _"Is he in there?"_

_ "No, he isn't. He's outside and incapacitated. You shouldn't be worrying about him anymore."_

Bubbles paused for a moment, then asked, _"Could you go find my scalchop for me?"_

Tesla shrugged. _"Sure, but I'm not taking too long. I'm just going to take a quick skim around and then come right back out. If it's gone, it's gone. There isn't much I could do to help you besides freeing you from this place."_

Bubbles nodded. _"Okay."_

Tesla jogged back inside Wotter's room and searched the placed head to toe. He tossed the covers, looked under the bed, and searched the corners of the room. No scalchop. He was just about to leave when something caught his eye in the trash can. Tesla looked inside. Among the empty beer bottles was Bubbles's scalchop. It was broken, shattered into three pieces.

_"Did you find it?" _Bubbles asked from the hallway.

Tesla closed his eyes. He could tell her the truth about the scalchop, or lie and say that he couldn't find it. He wasn't sure what to tell her.

_"Tesla?" _Bubbles asked.

Tesla turned around and stepped out of the bedroom. The look on Tesla's face told Bubbles everything. She looked down, getting ready to cover her eyes.

_"I'm sorry," _said Tesla. _"What could be done for you was already done for you by Smugleaf, I'm sorry I had to put you in that situation with her the other night."_

Bubbles shrugged. _"It's alright, I think we understand each other now."_

_ "What went on with you too in that bedroom?" _Tesla asked.

_"I have no idea."_

Tesla could tell that Bubbles was telling the truth. _"Okay then, I'm not going to ask you or Smugleaf about it anymore. Let's just move on and be done with this place."_

The old Pikachu led Bubbles outside to the group. "Guys," he said. "This here is Bubbles, she's a victim in all this."

Iris's eyes went big, she reached down and scooped Bubbles's up. "Oh, she's adorable!"

Bubbles giggled as Iris cradled her in her arms. Tesla frowned, "Be careful with her, Iris. She had been through a rough week."

"She's pink," said Ash. "Reminds me of that time I've been on that island with pink Pokémon."

"Where's the island?" Cilan asked.

"South of Kanto, in the Orange archipelago. The island has berries where-"

Mark interrupted, "Are you coming or not, guys? Our Pokémon are waiting for us."

Ash blinked. "Oh, right! Let's go."

Tesla handed Cilan Wotter's sweater and Smugleaf's journal. "Hang on to those, will you?"

Cilan took the sweater and journal and bundled them up. "Oh, uh. Okay."

Bubbles settled down in Iris's arms. Her face showed nervousness, as Iris was a complete stranger to her. However she seemed to trust her, and had gotten comfortable enough where she relaxed in her arms. The group continued on down the fence. Again, keeping an eye out for PRA Pokémon. Tesla ran ahead and led the way. He smelled smoke from a dozen campfires along with faint conversations. The conscripts were relaxed, unaware of the security breach Tesla himself had created. Within a minute the group reached the East gate, Tesla prayed for it to be open.

It was. Both halves of the gate was pushed open. Its lock and chain hang off to the side for all to see. A wave of relief came over Tesla, Woody hadn't betrayed him after all.

**. . .**

Tendon watched from afar through her scope as Tesla led his band of misfits out of Fort Wernher. She tightened her grip on the gun and growled. _That traitor, _she thought. _And he has that little pink sh*t as well!_

It was as she feared, Tesla was playing double-agent. She knew she shouldn't have trusted him in the beginning. Sure, he provides. But Tendon was willing to sacrifice his gift for the greater good of the PRA. Tendon didn't have time to alert the others or fetch Nobark, she would need to handle this herself.

The Hearing Pokémon cocked the shotgun and followed suit, she would have her chance soon.

**. . .**

"It's around here," Smugleaf told Agent Jenny as they both approached Fort Werner. "This is where we should stay quiet."

Rex kept his gun trained forward as Agent Jenny covered his left flank. Sara and Volts were both tucked back inside their Poké balls. Swoo I flied above, scanning for hostiles. Rex couldn't imagine what was going on inside the Swoobat's head. His friends were the enemy, and he had turned against him. The poor Courting Pokémon was questioning his loyalty. Was he trained to be loyal? To serve a master? Swoo I had no say in things, no elbow room to explain his thoughts. Maybe his thoughts were doing objectives given to him by his superiors. All professional, nothing personal. Swoo I was a robot, and anything that goes against his programming is going to create one major error.

"Where is your leader?" Agent Jenny asked Smugleaf.

Smugleaf shrugged. "No idea, I have no idea what he was doing after I left."

"So what's the plan, are we going to break in and free the prisoners?"

Before Smugleaf said anything, Swoo I came flying down in a hurry. He spat out a frantic message, Smugleaf then said something and Swoo I answered. Her eyes went big. "Tesla's gotten them out," she said. "But Tendon is noticing something's wrong. She's armed with a sniper rifle or something."

"Where is she?" Agent Jenny asked.

"Still in the fort, we'll need to loop around and rendezvous with Tesla before Tendon could get into a firing position."

Rex tightened the grip on his revolver. "Well let's hurry, we don't have all day!" He turned to the Swoobat and said. "Go and tell Tesla we're coming, and make it quick!"

Swoo I nodded. "Swoo! Swoo!"

Rex watched the Swoobat disappeared into the tree canopy within seconds. He scanned the forest floor for any threats. The place looked different in the day. Plenty of bushes for tangos to hide in, potential hazards everywhere. Now there's a sniper out there, hunting them down. Was Fort Wernher finally piecing the puzzle together?

**. . .**

Tendon snuck out the East gate after Tesla and his posse. The Hearing Pokémon dove for the bushes, scanning for any signs of reinforcements. She saw and hear none. Tendon was sure Tesla had outside help at his disposal, no way would he tackle the PRA alone. Maybe he was responsible for the Swoobats, responsible for Wotter's mutilation. Tendon cursed herself for falling under Tesla's spell. That old fart was going to pay.

It didn't take long for Tesla to show himself. Tendon watched him lead his posse down the trench north from Fort Wernher. The Audino stayed on his heels but kept her distance, she didn't need to be close enough to get a slug in his gut.

**. . .**

Woody sat in the far end of the trench. Surrounding him were Ash's Pokémon, along with Iris's and Cilan's. Mark's Pokémon sat at the edge, cradling the injured Swoo IV. She was conscious and confused, but responsive.

When Mark's Pokémon saw their ragged out trainer jogging up to them, Tesla swore their eyes went so big that they were ready to have heart attacks. They broke down into tears as they dashed toward Mark and leaped up into his arms. Mark handed the injured Wotter to Cilan, then happily scooped up his Pokémon and cradled their fury bodies, unable to contain his own tears. "Guys," he cried. "You're okay!"

_"Mark!" _Mark's Emolga and Pikachu sobbed.

Ash's Pokémon couldn't contain their own tears. His Oshawott, Pignite, and Scraggy hugged the kid's knees. Ash's Snivy kept her distance, but showed her relief. They were all glad to be reunited.

_"Iris!" _Axew cried as he hobbled toward his trainer.

_"Axew," _she cried. _"You're okay!"_

Iris sat Bubbles down and scooped Axew up, cradling him in her arms, they held their hug for what looked like an eternity.

Cilan sat Wotter down on the ridge of the trench and wrapped his arms around, Pansage, both showed a little more maturity. He quickly pulled out his Poké ball and recalled him, then tucked him inside his pocket. "Great to have you back, Pansage," said Cilan.

Bubbles looked on in confused horror, Tesla knew that look well. Pokémon around her were relishing from being reunited with their trainers, but she will never see her own trainer again. Tesla walked up to her and gave her a hug, whispering into her ear. _"I know how you feel, I'm still hurting from the loss of my own trainer."_

_ "I thought you said you've hated him," _Bubbles said.

_"You can't hate anyone completely, it's just impossible."_

It took a brief thirty seconds for everyone to settle down. Tesla walked up to Woody and shook his hand. _"Thank you, Woody," _he said. _"Nobark sure picked out the right engineer."_

_ "What happened to your head?" _Woody asked.

Tesla sighed. _"That monster we all feared in Nobark, it claimed him and left its mark. Don't worry, I'm used to trauma."_

_ "Does it hurt at all?"_

_ "Fifty years ago, it might. But not anymore, I don't have much pain receptors left."_

Mark turned to Tesla and asked, "So what do we do from here?"

Before Tesla could speak, Swoo I swooped down from the sky and landed on the ridge of the trench. _"Tesla," _he cried. _"Rex is almost here, he's brought some help!"_

_ "Who?" _Tesla asked.

_"Smugleaf and a federal agent."_

Tesla's face dropped. _"Sh*t."_

"What's wrong, Tesla?" Ash asked.

Tesla turned toward the group. "Good news is Rex is just around the corner. Bad news is Interpol is now involved."

Woody's face dropped. _"The International Police!?"_

Tesla nodded. _"Just one agent, probably on our side."_

_ "Yeah, probably."_

Tesla then turned back to Swoo I. _"Thank you for your help, Swoo I. I couldn't have done it without you."_

_ "Why is your face so messed up," _Swoo I asked worriedly. _"Did you hurt yourself?"_

Tesla simply say, _"Let's just say I fought with my fists and took a lot of damage, nothing too serious."_

**. . .**

Tendon got settled inside a bush far off from Tesla's posse. She lined up the shotgun and peered through the reticle. Tesla showed up in the crosshairs. Every strand of hair on her body yearned to put a bullet through his goggled face. Tendon cocked the shotgun, accidentally ejecting a fresh shell. She grabbed the shell and reloaded it back into the gun. The Hearing Pokémon had all the ammunition she needed, and she only needed one.

**. . .**

Rex came running around the corner with his revolver drawn. Next to him was the federal agent. Tesla frowned, she was an Agent Jenny. Every corner of the planet was her jurisdiction, there will be no argument from her for Soho, or at least Tesla hoped so.

Running ahead of them was Smugleaf. She looked less than thrilled to see him again, however she seemed delighted to see Bubbles. Both Pokémon ran up to each other and hugged, their eyes already raining tears.

"Heck, Tesla," said Rex. "You looked like hammered sh*t, what happened?"

"Nobark attacked me, so I fist-fighting him for ten minutes until Mark shot him in the head. Didn't killed him, but sure knocked him out."

Mark shrugged. "The Desert Eagle has a lot of stopping power to it."

Agent Jenny got down into the trench and scanned Mark up and down. His Emolga and Pikachu weren't intimidated by her presence, they were used to seeing authority.

"Are you Mark Kissinger," Agent Jenny asked.

"Yes, I am."

Both Agent Jenny and Mark shook their hands. "I know your father by reputation and the back story, you sure look like him."

"Think like him as well in some ways, apparently it wasn't enough to evade capture."

"How stupid of you."

Agent Jenny then looked down at Tesla. The old Pikachu didn't mind the sight of her uniform and embroidered badge, though he felt pissed enough. "Interpol?" Tesla asked.

"Yes, I'm here to investigate the PRA. I've already interrogated Smugleaf already."

Tesla nodded. "You want the whole story, then I need you to help me and all of us for something."

"Name it."

"We need to get into Soho, your credentials will override Soho's authority. They have the whole town under lockdown after their Police Chief was found dead."

"They know you?" Agent Jenny asked.

Tesla said, "Chief Hattricks sent me to Fort Wernher to dismantle the PRA, however Nobark got wise and now their Police Chief is dead and the Scrafty has lost his mind."

Agent Jenny glanced at Woody, then at Wotter. "These are members of Nobark's Inner Circle?"

"Yup, and they're here to cooperate."

"What about this Tendon? The Audino?"

"The Swoobat found her gearing up for a fight, she's not going to work with us."

Mark said, "If she knows what we're up to, then we better get out of here. She might alert the others."

"Agreed, I'm done with this place."

**. . .**

Tendon watch Tesla's posse climb out of the trench and run off into the forest. She thought about pulling off a shot but held her fire. It was just her against them, vastly outnumbered and outmatched. She lowered her shotgun and watched the last of the group disappeared within the trees. _I will get you, _she thought. _Soon._

She got up and head back to Fort Werner, ready to meet a battle-ready Nobark and PRA. There was so much to be done.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	43. Chapter 43

_Chapter 43_

Tesla followed the same route as the one he took with Wotter last night, but diverted mid-way toward the main road. Everyone jogged through the forest under the notion that they were being followed. Swoo I kept an eye out from above, giving some sense of security to the group. Wotter and Swoo IV were carried through the forest with ease. Swoo IV kept complaining of her broken wing. Wotter was just starting to regain consciousness. He was confused and had no idea where he was. Nobody spoke to him, and Wotter passes out.

They arrived at Soho's southern checkpoint. The custom officials were bewildered as Agent Jenny showed them her Interpol credentials. Their faces were blank, unsure what to do. They decided to let her and the group pass without hassle, though they kept their hands on their firearms while eyeballing the Pokémon.

Once they were in Soho, Agent Jenny got a look at the authoritarian environment of the city. She immediately disapprove at what she saw. "No wonder the PRA hates this town, there's not a single Pokémon in sight."

Smugleaf said, "It goes both ways. The PRA attacks Soho years back, so it closed itself off to the world. Their defensive measures fuels PRA aggression and they continue their attacks."

Agent Jenny nodded, "A vicious cycle, I've seen similar situations before but this is new."

Tesla said, "This is actually global. Humanity controls Pokémon, Soho is an example of that."

"Exactly what have you been through, Tesla?"

"I'll explain once we get to the Pokémon Center, it's a long story."

The group got a lot of stares from the local populous, especially from the obvious Soho police patrols. Again, Agent Jenny's presence forced them to back off. Just a quarter of the way toward the Pokémon Center, a Crown Vic pulled up and a supervisor got out. He asked Agent Jenny's intentions. She told him they were going to the Soho Pokémon Center. The supervisor didn't press her further. Instead he got on the radio and sent out an order to clear the quickest way toward the Pokémon Center of traffic. Flashing lights from Crown Vics all over the city flipped on seemingly all at once and move in. The whole road before the group was closed down within a minute. Soho police escorted them to the Pokémon Center the rest of the way.

The group stepped into the Soho Pokémon Center building and immediately settled down. Ash and his friends, along with Mark, headed straight for the showers to wash. Shampoo bottles were exchanged and hot water steamed. Mark washed up fast, then moved on to wash his Pokémon. Mark's Emolga, Pikachu, and Cheering Pokémon duo giggled and laughed as soap and water ran down their furry bodies. Tesla watched them from the door of the shower room. Every corner of their bodies was scrubbed and washed, hopefully ridding their bodies of PRA stench. Tesla eventually grabbed a shampoo bottle from the dispenser and went to use a vacant shower. He ran it on cold instead of hot. Tesla's skin went rigid as he began to lather the shampoo over his body. Loose fur dropped to the shower floor in clumps, more than usual. Tesla washed the blood off his face, then cleaned up the gash on his head. He heard Mark suddenly burst out a wave of disgust and laughter. "Oh you sh*tted all over the floor!" he screamed.

Tesla couldn't help but laugh, he hadn't felt humor in days.

When Tesla got out he found Smugleaf, already washed, lying on the couch. He could see Agent Jenny outside talking to the local police. Nurse Joy stood by the door, looking on through the glass as the federal agent and Soho police battled for jurisdiction. Rex was back behind the reception desk, seemingly getting back to work. Tesla decided not to bug him.

_"Tesla?" _An Audino's voice asked.

Tesla turned around and saw Pinki standing before him. _"Can we go somewhere, to talk in private?"_

Tesla nodded but said nothing.

Pinki lead him to the living quarters. Wotter and Swoo IV were laid out on the beds, both were sleeping peacefully. Pinki lead Tesla up to Wotter and pulled back the covers, showing him the bandaging. They have been recently redone.

_"I've checked the wounds, I never seen anything out it."_

_ "He was neutered this morning," _said Tesla. _"There was so much blood."_

_ "Who did it?"_

_ "I can't say."_

_ "Did Tendon stitched him up?"_

Tesla nodded. _"It was Tendon who stitched and patched him up."_

Pinki's eyes went big. _"I thought I recognized her handiwork. Just, uh, how did she changed? And how did she act?"_

_ "She is apparently enjoying herself. She got fat and was having her patients pleasure her as payment. Male, female, it doesn't matter. Her bed was a simple cot in a back room, surrounded with alcohol, junk food, and vibrators."_

Pinki placed a hand on her temple. _"I didn't know she was that corrupt. Oh my Arceus, this was worse than I thought." _Then she asked, _"How did she react to you? Did you ask her about my sister?"_

Tesla said, _"Tendon runs the infirmary in Fort Wernher. The place was a mess. The sheets were dirty and bloody, garbage littered the walls and floor. The whole place was a bio-hazard. I told her to clean up the place, she demanded _payment_ for it of course."_

_ "Did you . . . you know."_

Tesla held up his thumb and index finger and ran an arch of electricity between the two. _"I placed my hand on her belly and gave her a trickle of electricity. She liked it so much that she passed out. No, I didn't mate with her. Yes, I did in fact slept with her."_

_ "She was that receptive?"_

_ "Tendon was stoned for days, until this morning."_

Pinki asked, _"You asked her if she really killed App?"_

_ "When I dropped her name, Tendon threw a fit. She asked me how I knew her name. To be honest, I told her about your situation and your intentions, and asked for her confession."_

_ "Did she?"_

Tesla nodded. _"Tendon pretty much told me the same story you told me days ago. She hated your sister from the beginning. Did you remember Tendon taking a day off weeks before the night your sister died?"_

_ "Yes, it was sudden, but it was nothing new."_

_ "She met Nobark that night. He offered her a job opportunity that fitted her desired lifestyle, and she agreed. So when the night came, the PRA cut power off to the Pokémon Center to provide a distraction. App went to investigate . . . You can pretty much piece together what happened after that."_

Pinki looked away, she covered her eyes and cried. Tesla reached out to comfort her, Pinki wrapped her arms around Tesla and hugged him. _"Appendix," _Pinki said. _"I miss her, I miss her a lot."_

_ "I know how you feel," _said Tesla. _"I miss my own brothers and sisters along ago. They were taken away from me by Team Rocket poachers, the same kind of people that do horrible things to Pokémon, and those same Pokémon now make up the bulk of the PRA."_

Pinki kissed Tesla on the cheek. _"Thank you, for all your help."_

Tesla nodded. _"I did my best, but we're not done yet. The last time I saw Tendon was her sitting in a chair staring off into space. Wotter here was one of Tendon's two closest friends, the other being Nobark. Apparently there was a tiny spark of good in Tendon, she really cared for Wotter. Maybe for selfish reasons, but she was pretty upset what happened to him."_

_ "She wasn't that bad after all?" _Pinki asked hopefully.

Tesla shook her head. _"It was short lived. When I was getting my friends out of Soho, she sniffed me out. Maybe because I plucked Wotter and the Swoobat here out from under her nose. They were under her care you see. I can bet you in the coming days that she will come here and we will confront you. I've got to warn you, Pinki. Tendon had not only relished in killing your sister, but she dropped a hint that she may have hated you more."_

_ "What's going on?" _Pinki asked.

_"War," _Tesla said. _"War is brewing. From what Tendon is going through, you must assume that she's going to come back to Soho and hunt you down, and kill you too. While she was going off about how apparently your sister was being a detriment to her life, I flatly told her that she destroyed yours."_

_ "What did she say?"_

Tesla shrugged. _"She told me to f*ck off, and that was that."_

Pinki went silent, she stepped aside and processed what Tesla had told her. The old Pikachu turned to Wotter, the Discipline Pokémon snoozed away, unaware of the world going on around him. Tesla turned back to Pinki and watched as she crawled up on a bed and cried. Tesla said, _"We'll try to protect you, we won't allow Tendon get ten meters close to you."_

Pinki peeked out from the pillow and said, _"Is there anything I can do to repay you?_

Tesla pointed to the gash on his head. _"Can you stitch this up?"_

**. . .**

Cabot's Emolga sat in the conscript bunker with the other Pokémon. The power went out hours ago and it was getting late. He was hungry. Heck, they were all hungry, and scared. What would normally be a noisy atmosphere was all but near whispers. The Sky Squirrel Pokémon hugged his legs with one arm as he sipped a water bottle. He couldn't help but notice it had a brownish tint under the faint candlelight. It was probably scooped up from the nearby creek. Boiled, but not filtered. Emolga had no choice but to drink it and risk infection, or risk dehydration, which was worse.

Just hours ago, Tendon came in and told everyone to stay inside the bunker. Something was up, she wouldn't say what. Not so long after that the power went out and everyone became scared. The toilets will not flush. Feces started building up. Someone had started sneezing and wouldn't stop. Emolga couldn't see who it was, all he saw were bodies instead of Pokémon.

The front door flung open, the faint rays of the setting sun were blocked out by a silhouette of a Scrafty. It was Nobark. Everyone craned their necks to see his features, but the shadows blocked it out.

_"Everyone out in the courtyard," _his voice boomed. _"Now!"_

When he meant _everyone, _he really meant _everyone. _Emolga had seen such authorative moments before, but nothing like this.

Nobark turned around and disappeared outside. Nobody wanted to keep him waiting. All able-bodied and sick PRA conscripts got up to their feet and hobbled out into the late evening. Emolga screwed the cap back on the water bottle and set it aside, then got in line with the others. He stepped out into the setting sun. Even though it wasn't that bright, his eyes still burned from being in darkness for too long. Nobark stood in the middle of the courtyard. Only Tendon was by his side, Wotter, Smugleaf, and Woody were nowhere to be seen. The conscripts got into a square formation before him, something they hadn't done in years. Emolga felt the chills roll up his back. He hadn't been here long enough to understand procedure. His legs wobbled as he struggled to find a spot for him to stand in. Cabot's Emolga pushed and shoved, bringing some grunts and swears from the others. He couldn't find a spot. All available spaces were taken.

A hand grabbed him by the arm, Emolga turned and saw Scout standing there. _"Come with me, I have a spot for you."_

Emolga simply nodded, but said nothing.

Scout pulled him to the far front right corner of the square formation and placed him next to a Pansear. The monkey's eyes rolled over him, showing no interest. Scout then stood behind Emolga, then whispered into his ear. _"Don't make any sudden movements."_

Emolga nodded again, heeding his warning.

When everyone was front and centered, Emolga got a good glimpse at Nobark. He looked a bit off. There was a fresh bandage on his head, his face and chest were covered with bruises. His AK-47 was clamped tight in his good hand. The other was shaking madly than ever. Emolga held his breath as Nobark began to speak.

_"We've been betrayed brothers and sisters," _he announced throughout Fort Wernher. _"Tesla Westinghouse has turned against us."_

A few Pokémon gasped, the rest, including Emolga, remained silent.

Nobark went on. _"He has freed the prisoners and taken several of our closest allies' hostage. We were duped from the start! Tesla wasn't here to help us, he was here to destroy us!"_

That earned a more notable reaction from the crowd. Emolga cringed, he could feel Scout's nervous breathing pelting the back of his neck.

_"He disabled our security system! Disbanded the Swoobats! He turned half of them onto his side and murdered the rest! I've seen how he kills, he is the most dangerous Mouse Pokémon to walk the face of the planet! Now he has taken refuge in the cursed walled city of Soho, preparing their police force to attack us!"_

Nobark stepped up toward the conscripts, no one had the nerve to back off. Emolga started to step back but Scout gently pushed him forward. _"Stay where you are," _he whispered.

_"In the coming days, we will attack them soon! The Pokémon Resistance Armies from all over Unova will be here soon to penetrate Soho! While they move in to euthanize the cursed government, we will attack Tesla directly! He'll be hiding in their Pokémon Center, we can expect him to wait for us!"_

Then Nobark spoke in a calmer, more rational voice. _"He's too old to fend for himself. Tesla is out of shape and out of elbow room. We'll squeeze him in and I'll move in _myself _to finish him off. Then we'll take down all those who stood with him."_

_ "You hear me!?" _Nobark boomed.

The PRA punched their fist into the air and screamed, _"URA!"_

Nobark said, _"Grab all the guns you can find and clean them, we're going to throw all we have against him!"_

The Scrafty dismissed the PRA and everyone headed straight for the bunker. Their fear and hunger were forgotten, replaced by patriotism and rage. Cabot's Emolga's mind swirl with thoughts and confusion. Everyone seemed so nice one second, then so evil the next. What was happening?

_"Emolga," _Nobark's voice echoed.

Emolga turned and saw Nobark standing before him. He seemed calmer and subtle, but the fury was still there, kept in check by will alone. Emolga looked back for Scout. He was still there, but not afraid.

_"I have something I need you to use," _said Nobark. _"You may be the only electric-type around who can use it."_

_ "Uh, me?" _Emolga asked.

Nobark nodded. _"Come with me, I'll show you."_

Scout gave Emolga a shove, the Sky Squirrel jerked forward as Nobark headed toward the warehouse. Emolga followed along. Fort Wernher looked so eerily without power, it gave him chills. Nobark opened the door to the warehouse and stepped inside. Emolga followed along. A copper-like metallic odor wavered through his nose. The Sky Squirrel gagged, barely able to contain his breath.

_"Mind the smell," _said Nobark. _"It will clear out soon."_

The warehouse was dark. Emolga couldn't see a single ray of light. Nobark flipped on a flashlight, its beam lit up most of the room. His face glow under its light.

_"What are we doing, Nobark?" _Emolga asked.

Nobark simply said, _"You'll see, Emolga."_

As Nobark walked into the warehouse floor, Emolga turned back to Scout. _"Follow him, Emolga," _he said. _"You'll be alright."_

Emolga nodded. _"Okay."_

Emolga followed the beam of Nobark's flashlight. He couldn't help but avoid stepping on the dry blood smear streaking across the floor. Blood, the sight of blood had horrified him for ages. Watching his trainer die and bleed out on the motel's parking lot in Vegas City had changed him. Most days he had nightmares, really bad ones. Sometimes it was a replay of that night, but some nightmares were only filled with muzzle flashes and screams.

Nobark walked along the rows of the warehouse. Emolga passed disused equipment, stored fuel, and all sorts of tools. The Scrafty stopped mid-way down the row and crouched, holding up the flashlight to clearly see. _"There it is."_

Emolga watched as Nobark reached under the row and drag out what looked like a weapon's crate. Instead of painted olive green, it was a pure violet purple. A Pikachu wearing goggles was spray-painted on the top of the crate. Next to it were some sort of inscription, Emolga couldn't understand the writing. Nobark handed the flashlight to Emolga. _"Hold that for a moment."_

Nobark bent over undid the latch of the crate, then pulled the lid open.

Inside the crate was a weapon that was vaguely shaped like a flamethrower. But instead of an igniter on the muzzle, it had a six-digit claw. Two rubber-coated cords came out the back. They looked like the tentacles of some fish creature that lives in the deep ocean. Nobark made a cocky, almost maniacal smile through his sneer grin. Emolga shivered, he didn't like where this was going.

Nobark said, _"Here it is, the Tesla Cannon, able to unleash electric death!"_

He turned to Emolga and added, _"And you're going to use it."_

**. . .**

Nurse Joy gave everybody a sports drink to help replace the water and electrolytes lost during PRA imprisonment. She gave the Pokémon specialized vitamin Poké blocks. They grabbed the blocks and gobbled them up like candy, even licking the bowl clean. Smugleaf was civil in eating the Poké blocks, apparently she wasn't showing much interest in them, but she ate them nonetheless. As always, Mark fed his Pokémon people food. They gobbled up rice balls and lo mein like it was candy. Only Tesla refused any form of Pokémon food, instead he opted for the sports drink and sticks of celery.

"The Dewott needs more nutrition," he said. "Give him iron supplements and a sports drink, he must be dehydrated and anemic from losing all that blood."

Smugleaf turned away, trying to avoid eye contact with Tesla. He quickly took notice. Tesla waited till Nurse Joy moved on to the other Pokémon, then said, "You're the prime suspect in this, Smugleaf."

The Grass Snake Pokémon looked up. "Me?"

Tesla glanced over at Ash, he was busy trying to get a sandwich down. His Pikachu was cradled on his lap, sleeping. The old Pikachu turned back to Smugleaf and spoke in Pokémon speech, _"Someone hacked off Wotter's gonads with a sharp blade, and your knife happened to vanish from underneath my bed at Fort Wernher. What a coincidence, since it's now back on your person."_

Smugleaf gulped.

Tesla said in human speech. "Smugleaf, I'm not going to push you, but someone else will, and they will _not _be nice about it. If you have anything to say, you best get it out now."

Smugleaf lowered her head. "It was me, I did it."

"Exactly how did you do it?"

Smugleaf said, "I've ambushed him during his morning jog, I've waited all morning for the right moment. Knocking him out was easy, a simple flick with a vine did him in instantly."

The Snivy then added in Pokémon speech, _"You know what happened next."_

Unstable, unpredictable, and dangerous. No wonder Nobark liked her. She was, in every way possible, his mascot for the PRA. She was everything he wanted the PRA to be. Relax, lazy, and majestic as f*ck. He probably hadn't anticipated this. Maybe he had expected something similar, but obviously not this.

Tesla added, "How's your arm?"

Smugleaf shrugged. "Tendon had put some putty over the fracture, it should harden after a week."

"How did you do it with one arm?"

Smugleaf said, "I used my vines."

"That explains the brute force Tendon found. You made her upset, and now she had figured out what was going on."

"Tendon is a good friend, all she wanted was a subtle simpler life where no one would boss her around."

Tesla looked around for Pinki, she was nowhere in sight. "I wouldn't say that out loud, Smugleaf. Tendon killed another Audino here years back, that Audino's sister is still upset."

Smugleaf nodded. "I know the story, Tendon was very open about it. She has no love for Appendix, she even hinted that she wanted to do Pinki in someday."

"Which might be soon, assuming Nobark attacks this place."

"Which he will," said Mark as he walked up to Tesla. "When are we going to discuss about this Tesla."

"Soon as everyone is settled in. Right now I want to sleep, I had a rough week."

Mark turned to Smugleaf, the Grass Snake Pokémon cringed. "If I take you in, Smugleaf," he said. "Would you keep your privates to yourself?"

"My what?" Smugleaf asked.

Mark shot a finger at Smugleaf. "Don't even go near or look at my Pokémon in any sexual manner. I don't care if Emolga knew you before me. She only knew of a Snivy who was pure and loaded with innocence. Honestly, you're a far cry from who you were before your days with your trainer."

Smugleaf said nothing.

"I've got a spare room up in my house, you can sleep there till I figure out what to do with you. My dad will not want to have you or your friends around. He has enough Pokémon under his household already." Then Mark added, "I don't think he would want you under his roof altogether, he's the Chief of Police of the Faraday City Police Department. The last thing he wanted is to have a predator in his home."

"Mark," said Tesla. "Lay off of her, I already broke her arm over the issue. She's had enough."

"Okay then, I guess that's already settled." He turned back to Smugleaf and said, "I'll buy you vibrators to take care of your sexual appetite, but make sure you keep them away from my Pokémon. You got that?"

Smugleaf blinked, the sound of having vibrators along with a warning was making her head spin. "Uh, yes," she said. "I got that."

As Mark walked away, Tesla turned back to Smugleaf and said in Pokémon speech, _"Maybe you shouldn't have told him everything."_

_"I need his trust, I had thought of this beforehand. I didn't know he would be that defensive."_

_ "He was like that to me when I sent his Pokémon to the Pokémon Center, it happened when we first met."_

_ "What happened?"_

Tesla sighed and glanced up at the ceiling. _"That is a long and bitter story. What matters is that it ended when Mark was getting ready to strangle me with his bare hands, then Ash sucker-punched him in the face. He fell on his ass, then sat up and screamed, 'Oh f*ck, what have I done?'"_ Tesla chuckled, _"He's been nice to me ever since."_

_ "So I just have to wait till he gets over himself?"_

Tesla nodded and said in human speech, "Yup, pretty much."

He got down from the couch and stretched his legs. "I'm going to go see how the others are doing, you behave yourself."

"Okay, Tesla," said Smugleaf.

Tesla turned and walked toward Ash. The young Pokémon trainer looked up. Most of the wear from being held inside of a cell for days was gone, but his eyes was still a little sunken in. For the most part he seemed to be healthy enough to travel again. "How's your head, Tesla?" he asked.

Tesla shrugged. "Never better, it's nothing new. How's your buddy by the way, is he doing alright?"

Ash's Pikachu sat up from Ash's lap, looked at Tesla and smiled. _"Hi, Tesla."_

_ "Hello, Youngin," _said Tesla.

Pikachu jumped down and gave Tesla a hug. _"I didn't know how they got the jump on us, they lure us in and snatched us!"_

_ "You're safe, for now at least. We're not done yet."_

Ash's Pikachu asked, _"Where's the Joltik, is he around?"_

Tesla scanned the lobby for any signs of the Joltik, the Attaching Pokémon was nowhere in sight. Tesla was puzzled. He remembered seeing the Joltik with the group just outside of Fort Wernher, he more or less disappeared when they all made the hike to Soho. Tesla turned away and pinched his nose, thinking where he may have gone. _"Joltik was probably scared,"_ Tesla thought aloud. _"He must be thinking he's in big trouble, as he nearly drained you from most of your electricity."_

Ash asked, "What's wrong, Tesla?"

Tesla turned to Ash and said in human speech. "The Joltik, nobody knows where he's gone."

"The same Joltik that was latched onto Pikachu?" Cilan asked.

"Yeah, he was also the same Joltik who broke me out of the poacher cage in Dixie. Loyalty is all the Joltik knew, and now he has two superiors with conflicting interests. His mind must be going into deadlock by now."

Then Tesla hatched an idea. "Ash, open your backpack."

Ash bent over and unzipped his backpack, he jumped as the Joltik came leaping out and landing on the coffee table. All of his sapphire eyes were bulging out of his skull, his body shaking from end to end. _"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" _he exploded. _"I don't mean to hurt anybody!"_

_ "You're not in trouble, Joltik," _said Tesla. _"You were just doing your job."_

The Joltik calmed down and asked, _"Is Nobark is going to be okay?"_

_ "He's done for, Joltik. There isn't much we can do for him now."_

_ "What's going to happen?"_

Tesla simply said in human speech. "Chaos."

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	44. Chapter 44

_Chapter 44_

The surrounding countryside was cloaked under the darkness of a new night. No moon like the last, no stars either. Under this darkness moved small bands of PRA troops. Half of the groups moved in triads. A third moved in squads of five to ten. The rest moved in regiments, the largest ranging almost a hundred. All PRA squads walked in lines that snaked through the forest like a serpent. Anyone standing from the front and back would only see one Pokémon, and those who stand on the side can only see a small portion of the line. This tactic backfired as not all Pokémon were the same size. Some were the size of refrigerators while others were the size of small coffee makers. So the squad and regiment leaders moved the larger Pokémon in the front and back and the smaller ones in the middle. The lines were reinforced with those who can hold firearms and other forms of weapons. Some of these Pokémon rode on the backs of the larger Pokémon, others simply walked. By around one in the morning, these multiple squads merged just five kilometers northwest of Soho, forming a true Pokémon Resistance Army.

Nobark readied up his troops by having them eat through their current food supply. He wanted them going to sleep with full bellies tonight. As they slept, he went out with Tendon and Scout north of Fort Wernher to hunt down the cache of supplies O.J. Stanton's Pokémon had mentioned. They more or less found the cache. It was half buried under a tree whose roots were exposed by erosion. It was huge, indicating something good. The Team Rocket logo was spray-painted on top of the aluminum crate. Nobark fiddled with the lock. It was an electronic keyboard, password protected. Nobark stared at it for a moment, trying to remember the default password he had learned from his time in Team Rocket HQ decades before. He typed it in. The keypad chimed and unlatched the lid.

Inside was a TR-30 flamethrower. Top range is fifty meters with a high-temperature around 2,000 degrees Centigrade. The flamethrower looked serious. It had a steampunk future-tech chassis with a barrel the width of a human bicep. Tendon chuckled, Nobark couldn't help but let out a laugh. This flamethrower will cause all sorts of destruction. All three Pokémon closed up the crate and hauled it back to Fort Wernher. It took them an hour. The flamethrower was so heavy that Scout collapsed under exhaustion. Nobark and Tendon both hauled it to the warehouse, after that they called upon the conscripts to take it inside the fort and put the thing together.

At Soho, security was tighter than ever. The City Council was in deadlock in trying to decide who to appoint as the new Chief of Police. Mostly rage and spit were exchanged. They didn't have much time, they have a whole list of task that needed to be done. The news of an impending second invasion fell on deaf ears. "The wall," they said. "Would repel the largest of all Pokémon." Even though it has been proven time and time again that the wall failed to keep the PRA out, ignorance prevents the Council to take extra precautions.

So Agent Jenny got everyone moving. After having a briefing on the run-up of what was happening for the past fifteen years, she contacted her Unova-based Interpol HQ and explained to them the same story the Soho PD had told her. Interpol acted fast. A force of twenty Interpol SWAT officers were dispatched by helicopter. Agent Jenny demanded more, dispatch politely told her that that was all Interpol could spare at this time.

The Unova Regional Police took extra security measures around Soho's neighboring towns. The remaining population of Springfield was evacuated while Carbondale got extra officers. Police checkpoints were set up. All cops on the ground were armed with riot-guns and tear gas canisters, albeit they were not enough. They went so far that UAVs were dispatched to locate the PRA forces in the woods. It would take some time before the PRA was tagged and their potential paths were marked.

A night-time attack would be useless. The PRA was active 24/7. Several of their Pokémon were nocturnal, and they would alert their comrades of any potential threat. A night-time attack on the major force would be suicide, an attack on Fort Wernher would force the PRA into action.

And it is something Tesla did not want.

**. . .**

The old Pikachu was always an early riser, even during his Pichu years. The internal clock in his head struck around 5:30AM, its silent chirping stirred Tesla awake. Sleep and snores cloaked the room around him. The darkness felt empty, even though there were half a dozen people here. Tesla sat up on his bed and looked around. Soft blue light shined in through the curtains. The sun was starting to come up. Tesla's mouth was still sore. His head still ached, his body felt like shattered glass. Pain, old familiar pain that had built up from his Pokémon battling career and other forms of physical abuse. He couldn't imagine what Nobark must be going through with his system. Yes, Nobark was decades younger than Tesla. Aside from his mental illness, the Scrafty should feel more tired and sore than during his younger years.

Tesla dropped down from his bed and made his way out of the room. The lobby lights were dim to night-light levels. His eyes still burn anyway, Tesla blinked rapidly until his pupils adjust. Smugleaf lay on an empty couch, still asleep. She looked like she hadn't moved since last night. Tesla's eyes turned toward the TV. Sitting in the middle couch was Ash. He was still in his pajamas, his raven hair still matted from bed. Laying beside him was his Pikachu, sleeping peacefully. Ash's eyes were still puffy, tired. Something was keeping him up.

The old Pikachu made a subtle approach. He looped around the couch, trying not to disturb the trainer. Ash held his head low, as if he was getting ready to cry. Tesla came around the corner of the couch and climbed up on the cousin. Ash jumped, and was quickly relieved at the sight of Tesla. "I had moments where I couldn't sleep," said Tesla. "On average they happen once a week, usually during a dream. They can keep me up at night."

"It's not that," said Ash. "All this madness in the past week, I can't process all this. I haven't even slept since the day before I got locked up."

"So you were awake this whole time?"

Ash nodded. "Yes."

Tesla sighed. "Was it the shock of seeing a Pokémon with a malevolent personality, or was it the thought of your buddy being vulnerable?"

He waved a hand toward Ash's Pikachu, the kid simply shrugged. "A little bit of both, I guess."

"A little," said Tesla. "Just a little?"

Ash raised an eyebrow. "Where are you going with this, Tesla?"

Tesla said, "I think you understand how I feel like on a daily basis. Almost every day, I get up feeling stiff and sore all over. The pain I feel would knock you out, I swear it will. I have known many Pokémon of my own generation. They were hurting all over, begging for mercy." He added, "But the thought of my own friends and family being taken away from me like that, locked up, with the key thrown away, fuels that pain. You've just got a taste of that. I have been dealing with it longer than your grandfather was even born."

Ash stirred the thought in his head, trying to contemplate what Tesla had said. The old Pikachu shot a look at Smugleaf. She showed no signs of alertness. Her snores weren't bogus. Either she was dreaming of happier times or was having enjoyment in her own little world. Ash turned back to Tesla and asked, "How do you deal with this, Tesla? How do you get by?"

Tesla said, "I have a voice, I have an education. I have enough experience to fill entire libraries. I even have enough nerve to do pretty much about anything. I'm the oldest Pikachu in the world. I am even the most powerful as such. I can pulse a million volts through the air into any target, turning it into dust. Be it human or be it Pokémon, no living being or entity is a match for me." He took a deep breath, then added, "I get by life hoping that one day things will turn around, that my burden will be lifted. I missed that feeling of being with loved ones in a safe and fulfilling environment. One day, I hope I would live that life again."

"But you had friends and family before, with Irvin."

Tesla shook his head. "That life was more of an institution than a family. My 'friends' would tease me and trick me in all sorts of matters. They watch me explode, and they _love _that. They love it when I got off and start complaining in rapid-fire Pokémon and human speech. Of course, don't get me wrong. That was rare. All my Pokémon friends who were under Irvin's care, including Nobark, loved me. They adore me, they even worship me. However, I can't bring myself to love them back, because they don't treat me like what I want to be treated. That's why I exert all my anger in disciplining them, hitting them, shocking them, locking them up in a broom closet till they rot. I had personal problems and wounds that never healed, and they were festering them."

Tesla looked up at Ash and said, "You are one of few people I know who would never tease me, or even try to annoy me. Back in Faraday Island, you defended me from Mark's blind rage. Back in Dixie, you've defended me from Andy's minor tease." The old Pikachu shook his head. "I was so hurt when Andy teased me because I can't swim. I trusted Andy, I adored him. Heck, I even saved his life once. That meager tease pretty much destroyed a lifetime of friendship I had with him."

"Had you ever thought that those who tease you wanted to have fun _with _you?"

Fun? Is that what it was, fun? Fun for them, at least. But not for him. Tesla asked, "What do you mean by fun?"

"They tease you because you're too serious all the time. Everyone just wanted to have a good time with you, but you wouldn't let them."

Tesla's face dropped. For the past ninety years of his life, he did not understand why everybody would annoy him. He had always stuck to Irvin's code of discipline, enforced his rules of force, shock anybody who gave Tesla a hard time. Not one had he consider anyone trying to spend time with him, he was too deep into his own personal battles that he couldn't stand anyone trying to pull him out of his zone. So many rough years may not even be so rough had Tesla sat everything aside, and enjoy life as he always wanted to. The old Pikachu's ears drooped. He felt sick, weak. Tesla had been too hard on everybody. Irvin, his Pokémon, Smugleaf, Nobark, those under his command. Ash had pointed out that they weren't really trying to get on his nerves or trying to challenge him, they wanted to be friends with him.

"Holy," Tesla muttered, he grabbed his ears trying to process it all. "All those years wasted, I've should've known! I was too old and arrogant to figure it out. I thought Irvin never helped me much, but he was trying. That stunt he pulled with having a female Pikachu battle me just months after Polly was moved to another Pokémon lab. He wasn't trying to piss me off at all, he was trying to cheer me up! He was trying to say there was other fish in the sea!"

Tesla's voice trailed off, everything was falling like dominoes. Irvin's stunt with the Pikachu toppled over with the memory of the last time he saw Polly, which toppled over the memory he euthanized Flashlight, which toppled over another memory of more lost Pokémon, it finally toppled the largest domino piece of the last time he saw his mother, his father, and his siblings. It all created one confusing Tesla that broke him in, he could no longer contain himself. He slumped to his knees and supported himself with his hands, then began to whimper.

Ash gently scooped Tesla up, his fingers pressing into his hollow ribs. He pressed Tesla's head against his chest and hugged the old Pikachu, rocking him back and forth. Tesla let out a soft cry. He wasn't young anymore, he couldn't manage a loud cry like he did in his younger ears. He could only whimper, the world was too harsh for loud cries. Ash held Tesla up, and slowly, but gently, pulled off his goggles. Fresh air breezed across his marble eyes. Tesla blinked, the whole world became a blur. The colors merging into hexagon and star-puff patterns. Tesla closed his eyes and pressed his face against Ash. The trainer ran his fingers across Tesla's back. It made him feel better, the calming effects of loose fur and dead skin scraped off calmed his nerves. A built in reaction in all Mice Pokémon. He couldn't remember the last time he felt pleasure from being groomed.

_Oh, _he thought. _Andy's house in Dixie._

Tesla sank into Ash's arms and relaxed. The pain was gone, so was all the frustration and anger. Before Tesla knew it, he was back asleep. This time he had no dreams at all, just a serene calmness that wouldn't happen again for weeks.

**. . .**

When the sun fully rose, everyone started getting up from bed. Rex called out Sara and Volts and let them out into the lobby. Mark scooped up his Pokémon and head to the restroom. Cilan and Iris calmly strut into the lobby, they saw Rex standing there with his Pokémon. Staring at the couches.

"What's wrong, Rex?" Iris asked.

"Look."

Ash was laying on the couch with two Pikachus. They could tell them apart. One of them was his own, the other was definitely Tesla. His goggles were sitting on the coffee table, recently cleaned. Rex made his approach. It wasn't hard to recognize Tesla even without the goggles. He was larger, bonier, and less furry than the average Pikachu. Rex could barely make out where the matted fur of where Tesla's goggle straps were. The old Pikachu was sleeping peacefully on his back, using Ash's arm as a pillow.

Rex reached down and nudged Tesla with two fingers. "You awake, Tes?"

The old Pikachu stirred, his eyes flickering open. He turned to Rex, gave him a soft gaze before letting out a yawn. "Everything seems so murky," he said. "Is it morning?"

"Yes, it is."

"Eh, fair enough."

Tesla climbed out of Ash's arms and climbed down from the couch. He then started walking when his foot collided with the coffee table leg and tripped. Rex shot down and caught him in time. "Here, let me help."

Rex grabbed Tesla's eye-goggles and wrapped them over his head. Tesla reached up and adjusted it. The old Pikachu blinked as his vision cleared. "I can't believe I'm so blind," he said. "My vision started going bad sometime when I first met Irvin, and then it got so bad that I plowed my face into dry wall."

"How are you feeling, Tesla?" Rex asked.

"Good, still sore but good. I think I can function today."

Tesla walked off to the bathroom. When he opened the door Rex could hear Mark singing with his Pokémon inside. Tesla stood there for a moment to consider whether or not to go in. He went in anyway, and the door shut behind him.

Rex stepped into the kitchen and cooked up some breakfast for everyone to eat. Cilan joined him, apparently he knew some good recipes. He talked almost non-stop. Most of his mini-lectures was the many recipes he made and how he made them. Rex nonchalantly listened as he scrambles eggs. Hearing him talk, even though he couldn't understand half of what he said, was strangely calming. Rex poured the scrambled eggs into the frying pan, suddenly a thought came to mind. "How did you handle eating those MREs?"

Cilan stopped talking, thought for a moment, then said, "They were an abomination."

Rex chuckled. "Tell me about it, I had to eat MRE's for weeks at a time during my tour in the army. It's cheap, and it's a Meal Ready to Eat, hence the name MRE. Sadly they don't taste quite good. During my tour during the desert region of Kanto, I had a 'cheese pizza' flavored MRE. It didn't taste like pizza, it tasted more like watered-down pasta with a cheesy after-taste."

"Yuck," said Cilan.

"Oh, that reminds me. Since the MRE's are horrid, I would carry a jar of peanut butter with me between missions. The peanut butter is excellent. It had the proper fat to sugar ratio to keep me going. A spoon full here and then should suffice. Since peanut butter can last for about a year, they are excellent to carry around on the go."

Cilan said, "Tesla likes peanut butter, craves the stuff actually. You should give him some, he doesn't have much meat on him."

Rex nodded, "I think I have some peanut butter around here, what kind of peanut butter he prefers?"

"The chunky kind."

Rex lifted the scramble eggs with a spatula and dumped them on a plate. He head over to a cabinet and opened it up. Sure enough, there was a small jar of unopened peanut butter. It wasn't chunky, it was the smooth kind. "All we have here is smooth, should it suffice?"

"When it comes to Pokémon food, Tesla wouldn't eat it. He would eat anything else though."

"Why is that?" Rex asked.

Cilan shrugged. "I think it's more political than anything else. I wonder if Tesla's diet of human food is causing him to lose a lot of weight, or maybe he isn't eating at all."

Rex asked, "If you have a lot on your plate that was enough to keep you awake at night, would food even cross your mind?"

Cilan thought for a moment. "Yeah, that could be it."

They both finished up making breakfast: Pancakes, syrup, scrambled eggs, and a little bit of vegetables. Some milk was brought out from the fridge, along with some apple juice. Rex and Cilan brought them out into the lobby and sat them on the coffee table. Rex turned on the TV but kept the volume low. The news was on. A state of emergency was declared in Carbondale and Soho. Rex looked outside, he saw not a single soul walking the street.

Mark came out of the restroom with his dried Pokémon in his arms. He was wearing a Pokémon Center white t-shirt and his olive green cargo pants. Rex noticed his hunting knife was clipped to his belt. He also had a holster, which held the Desert Eagle. Tesla followed behind him, his fur recently cleaned. Mark sat down on the couch and spread his Pokémon out beside him. He picked up plates and gave one to each of them. His Emolga, Pikachu, and two Cheering Pokémon got down to get some food.

"Where did you get a holster?" Rex asked.

"Agent Jenny the other day," said Mark. "We both had a short chat, she wound up giving me a holster because she trusted me with a gun. Just for the record, the Desert Eagle is unloaded with the safety switched on. Though I like my .22 pistol more, doesn't have too much weight to it."

Tesla said, "That's not going to do much damage against a Pokémon. A .22-caliber bullet would not even puncture a Pokémon's thick skull at long range."

"Nobark's head stopped that .45 in its tracks."

"That was an exception, not the rule."

Tesla picked up a plate, Rex watched him carefully as he scooped up some scrambled eggs and pancakes. He added a dash of syrup to the pancakes, then some butter. Finally he grabbed a glass of milk and filled it up, then grabbed some utensils and sat down to eat. Rex saw nothing wrong with Tesla's eating habits. Though he was eating people food, he was getting all the required protein he needs.

Or maybe not.

"Tesla," said Rex." I got you something."

Just when Tesla looked up, Rex handed him the peanut butter jar. His eyes went big with delight. Rex smiled, he struck a sweet spot. "Peanut butter," he asked in disbelief. "You have peanut butter!?"

"I had some in stock, it should be fresh. I thought you wanted some since you're mostly skin and bone."

Tesla sighed. "That's reassuring, but understand that my metabolism is dynamic. All those calories go to the electricity I build up. That's why I'm mostly bone."

"So you lose weight by performing Thunderbolts?" Mark asked.

"One million volts is quite fast, Mark. Just so you know I used electric-attacks quite frequency. It saps my energy reserves just to use one major Thunderbolt. And when I mean one major thunderbolt, I mean the one that causes seismic quakes."

Mark nodded. "I remember now, that Thunderbolt you did in Dixie drained you tremendously."

"And I wasn't eating as often to replace those lost calories since I was moving around a lot. Not an easy task with Volta." Tesla took another bite of his pancakes and said, "One day I'll find her, but she would have to wait. Nobark's a more pressing issue, I need him taken care of."

The group talked about other things for the next thirty minutes. Bubbles finally showed herself after a period of absence. She climbed up on the couch where Smugleaf sat. The Grass Snake Pokémon grabbed a plate and loaded it up with food. Smugleaf then took it back to the couch, where she and Bubbles shared. Woody stepped out of the living quarters, his eyes showed fatigue. He walked into the lobby like a zombie. Without saying anything he walked up to the coffee table and only grabbed a couple of pancakes and some syrup. He didn't seem that hungry. Rex wondered if he had other personal issues on his mind.

Wotter stayed silent. Nobody asked if he was alright. Rex simply got up and grabbed a sports drink from the kitchen before stepping into the living quarters. Wotter lay there on the bed, still sleeping. His face showed anguish. He must be uncomfortable, Rex wondered what he could do to help him. He reached out a hand to wake him and stopped. Wotter was PRA, and he hadn't come here on his own free will. Will the Dewott attack him on sight, if not, would he cooperate? Rex thought about getting Tesla in here to help him, but decided to go ahead anyway. Wotter wasn't going anywhere, he had no chance of escape.

He placed a hand on the Dewott's shoulder and shook it. "Wotter, are you awake?"

The Discipline Pokémon let out a groan. His eyes flickered open. Soft marble eyes stared straight up at the ceiling, then they turned toward Rex. They were full of tears and mercy. Rex knew that look all too well. He had made that face before when he suffered from excruciating pain from his arm. Rex stared at him for a moment, then said, "Tesla brought you here, you're safe now."

The Dewott looked confused, but seemed to understand him. Rex held up the sports drink and said, "He told me you've lost a lot of blood, you best drink this."

Rex unscrewed the sports drink and lifted up Wotter's head. The Dewott showed no resistance or aggression. He remained passive, inert to some degree. Wotter sipped the sports drink. He made a face, it must have tasted bitter to him. Rex scratched the top of the Dewott's head, which relaxed him. He managed to get a quarter of the drink down when Rex pulled the sports drink away. "The damage is pretty bad," he said. "Until your stitches heal, you shouldn't be walking. I'll try to keep you comfortable as long as you're here. I'm not here to hurt you, I'm here to help."

"Dewott," he muttered. "Dew Dew?"

"Are you hungry?" Rex asked.

Wotter nodded. "Dew."

"Here, I'll get you something to eat."

Rex stood up and stepped out of the living quarters. He went to the kitchen's pantry and grabbed a carton of Poké blocks, he took it back to the living quarters and held up one particular block. "Here," he said. "It's packed with vitamins and minerals, I'll get you some Iron supplements to help with your anemia."

Wotter opened his mouth and Rex popped a Poké block into his mouth. He chewed it up and swallowed. He didn't show much interest in it, but it seemed enough.

"Dew," he muttered. He then closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

Rex stepped back into the lobby, just in time to hear knocking on the front door. Rex sat down the Poké blocks on the reception desk and approach the front door. Everyone watched as he pressed a button to lift the security gate, then another button to activate the automatic doors.

"Morning, Rex," said Agent Jenny. "How are you doing?"

"Everything's okay, no trouble here. Yet."

Agent Jenny nodded. "All the police forces in the area is notified, the entire town of Soho is under Martial law. I hope you have a plan for Nobark."

Rex shook his head. "That falls under Tesla, he knows Nobark more than all of us had been alive."

Jenny shrugged. "Ancients from another time great. Is it alright if I come in?"

Rex moved and Agent Jenny stepped inside, the sliding doors closing behind her. Just as she joined the rest of the group, Mark suddenly asked, "So what's the plan, Tesla? Why haven't we killed Nobark in the command center and save us all the trouble?"

"Nobark's death isn't going to stop the war," said Tesla. "Uncoordinated, the PRA would attack everything and burn everything on sight. It will be total anarchy. With nobody at the controls, they won't stop until the last Pokémon is defeated. We need Nobark leading them for the plan."

"Which is, what?"

Tesla said, "Nobark's going to attack this Pokémon Center, it is the _center_ of his distorted ideology. To him, the Pokémon Center maintains humanity's control over Pokémon, practically cements it. While the major PRA forces attack pre-designated targets, Nobark is going to lead ALL of Fort Wernher's troops to attack this Pokémon Center."

Mark groaned, "Oh that's messed up."

Rex asked, "You sure he'll come here?"

Tesla nodded. "He will, cause I will be here. Nobark knows me well. If I were to stay anywhere in a human environment, it would be the Pokémon Center. Cause here it has everything I need and nothing I don't. Irvin hammered that fact into our training, so it is here we will hold off his primary force."

Ash leaned forward on the couch and asked, "Wait, we're going to do what?"

"The plan is simple. Step one is to hold off Fort Wernher's conscripts as long as they keep coming. Step two is when they stop coming, and Nobark, along with his strongest soldiers, will meet us directly. I will handle them myself."

"And then what?" Mark asked.

Tesla shrugged. "Step three is when I hold up a gun up to Nobark and keep firing until the gun goes dry, and he falls in a pool of his own blood. It will be so graphic that any PRA troops who sees it will be force to surrender. Step four is when I take over the remaining PRA forces, and after I cement my control, I'll dismantle the entire network and separate the bad apples from the group. These bad apples, such as Tendon for say, will be hand-delivered to the Unova police and Interpol. What they would do, I don't care. They're a disgrace to all Pokémon everywhere."

"And what would you do with the rest?" Rex asked.

"I'll give them a second chance in life. A proper life. The only way to have that is to move those forces to Faraday Island. The culture there is friendly to corrupt Pokémon. They'll all get fat and happy, and everyone lives happily ever after."

Mark chuckled, "Brilliant plan, are you sure it would all work?"

Tesla shook his head. "No, of course not. Even if it does work, the end result will still be bloody and the aftermath is unspeakable." The old Pikachu then sighed, then added, "We might die in the process, and that's what concerns me."

Mark simply sat back. "I was trained in the army, I can handle carnage. I don't have anything against that plan except that we need to move our Pokémon someplace, to shield them from the fight."

That's when Ash said, "Is there anyway this can all be avoided, any hope at all?"

Tesla shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ash. I appreciate that you are trying to stop the war but there is nothing we could do about it. The PRA's course is set. People are going to die in the hundreds, Pokémon will be dying in the thousands. A Pokémon's brain is unstable and unpredictable. It will follow the commands of a trainer, master, or leader, and no one elses. They will only listen to Nobark, and since he's unstable, the only thing we can do is to kill him in battle, and make an example of him. Only then will the fighting stop."

Agent Jenny stepped forward and said, "How are you sure you can take over the PRA?"

Tesla said, "The PRA is fixated on the story Nobark gave them, which was about Irvin and I and the time we had together. The PRA view me as a legend, Nobark's twisted idea of Pokémon equality is wrapped around me, because I'm everything they're not. Some might hesitate to attack me while other Pokémon will accept the challenge. But overall, if I drop Nobark's still warm corpse at their feet, they will lower their arms and the war would be over."

Rex asked, "What if that all fails?"

"Well, if it fails, it fails. At least I've tried."

Mark and Tesla couldn't help but laugh, even Smugleaf and Woody let out a laugh. No one else was laughing, though. Rex had a brief flashback of when he first had the wound. That mission was a disaster for him, he almost died. Now it seemed like he was about to face combat again, this time on the defensive. The thought scared him. Ash could see the fear in his eyes, they both glanced at each other, giving each other a nod. The Faradian culture was mad, insane. The island was loaded with gun nuts like Mark. Rex wasn't sure if he could trust Mark with a loaded gun.

When the laughter died down, Tesla finished his breakfast and sat his empty plate aside. "But seriously, for all this to work we need to start fortifying this place. We would need the cooperation from the Soho Police Department to provide us with some firepower. Shotguns and submachine guns will work best, as they are used for close-quarters combat. Anything with a lot of weight would help stop bullets and repel most forms of Pokémon attacks."

Mark nodded. "Fire would be their greatest weapon. If they can't come in here, then they'll try to burn us out."

"Open up all the windows with the fans blowing," said Tesla. "We'll keep fire extinguishers on hand if things get too hot."

Cilan suddenly stood up. "Hold on, can we have a say in this? What should we do, can we help?"

"Yeah," said Iris. "What can we do?"

Mark said, "This isn't a Pokémon battle, guys. This isn't a case where we have Pokémon versus Pokémon, this is a case of Pokémon versus humans. The rules are different, the PRA won't bother attacking your Pokémon, they attack you directly."

"You won't stand a chance," Smugleaf spoke up.

Everyone turned to the Snivy.

Smugleaf took a deep breath and sighed, "Nobark had me and Wotter go on missions where we have to take out targets of interest. These targets are usually bad people, the kind who wanna take over the world and sh*t. Nobark wanted them out of the picture, as they were using Pokémon for their purposes. Which of course, goes against the PRA ideology, or Nobark's ideology."

"How did they go down?" Mark asked.

"Clean or bloody," said Smugleaf. "It always ends with the trainer's death. If they have any Pokémon, we take them in and incorporate them into the PRA, or we just euthanize them like their trainers."

"Damn, Smugleaf," said Tesla.

Smugleaf went on, "Nobark instructed us to attack the trainers directly if we were to engage into a 'battle' with them. Wotter and I let them make a move first, and while their Pokémon tries to attack, we flank it and land a powerful blow on the trainer. Humans are weak. A single blow from my vine would knock a grown man out cold, their skin easily broken. The goal is to get them down on their ass, and when they topple over, we move in for the kill."

No one said anything.

"That would be the PRA's strategy," said Smugleaf. "They'll try to knock you down, _then _kill you. Be it guns or melee weapons, the Pokémon Resistance Army would use anything to show who owns the world."

Again, the room stayed silent.

Smugleaf looked around and saw the look on everybody's faces. "Look, I only do Nobark's dirty work because I don't have the same opportunities you guys had. If my trainer hadn't been killed, I would be still eating comfortably from a can while having a normal life. I never asked for any of this, I swear."

Tesla nodded. "Yes, we know. I never asked to be poached and thrown into this Pokémon battling world. None of my friends in the WA had never asked. To come to think of it, I gave Nobark the opportunity to join the WA, introduced him to Irvin and everybody. He, of course, asked. We didn't. That is the major difference between us and him. He asked to be part of the Pokémon battling culture and we did not."

Agent Jenny then said, "Tesla, could you start from the beginning on how you met Nobark, and how it all leaded up to this point?"

Tesla closed his eyes. "I'll go over it with you while we fortify the place, maybe we can give Nobark some sympathy when he comes knocking."

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	45. Chapter 45

_Chapter 45_

The PRA's major force watched as the sun crept over the tree line. Multiple camp fires burned. Many of these fires had pots or pans over them. Some were boiling water for drinking, others were boiling down bone scraps and vegetables into stew. The conscripts ate whatever rations they brought with them. They will need the energy for the hardship that would follow. Those with guns cleaned and checked their weapons. All of their guns were captured by human organizations and law enforcement agencies. Half of all their weapons were conger up from a security contractor. These guns were modernized AK-47s. Their stocks made out of solid aluminum instead of wood, making the weapons lighter. They were given a black scratch-resistant matte paint, applied during their time under human hands. Some of the weapons happened to have all sorts of attachments. Mostly bayonets, but a few guns have red-dot sights and ACOG scopes. For those captured from law enforcement agencies, the weapons were an array of shotguns, submachine guns, and pistols. Crowd control weapons, not good for tactical combat. However, a gun was a gun. The PRA only cared if it fires or not.

Under Nobark's instructions, when the sun is at its highest point, they were to launch the attack. They took their time and planned their strategy. Maps were pulled out. Lines were drawn. Major targets were Soho's City Hall and police department. The leaders recited their objectives, but gave no further context. All the PRA conscripts had no idea how to take out their designated targets. They had no escape plan or route, besides the marked entry points into the walled city. What they do know is that after they decapitated the Soho government, they move in and rip out the utility infrastructure and economic sectors. Shut down the power, rupture the water lines, destroy the ships and cranes at its port. After that, they then set up some safe-houses in the city and await further orders.

A good plan, only on paper though. It had never been executed in real life. The humans weren't a problem. It was the wall. The PRA needed that wall penetrated, maybe partially destroyed, to show to human kind that they can cause all the chaos they want, and they could do nothing about it. Psychological factors were important. And being Pokémon, the PRA knew how to pull off a bluff.

The bottom of the sun finally made it over the tree line. It was the PRA's signal to move. They quickly packed up camp. Canteens were refilled, the soups were drunk. Leftovers and garbage were buried. Campfires were extinguished and covered up. Nobark instructed that they leave no evidence of their presence. Many of the Pokémon in the major PRA force were once captured from the wild. They knew all too how important it is to remain stealthy. As the scouts above fly around for potential threats, the main force finished cleaning up their camp and advanced toward Soho.

**. . .**

Nurse Joy looked bewildered when Rex filled her in on what was happening. At first she considered taking her Audinos and evacuating, but Rex convinced her to stay. He asked her where Ash and his friends would take cover during the attack. "The attic," she had said. "The walls and ceiling are solid concrete, it should protect them." Nurse Joy headed up to the top floor and stepped into a utility closet. Up on the ceiling was the attic entrance. She pulled down the retractable step ladder and Rex followed her up. The attic was dark. Cardboard boxes of junk and outdated electronics were stacked against the walls. A centimeter of dust had collected on the floor, it burst into a plume when Rex stepped in it. He looked around for a possible air vent and found some small holes with light coming through. Rex asked her the last time she had been up here, Nurse Joy said about a year ago.

Agent Jenny went to go fetch some needed firepower. A police pick-up truck backed up to the entrance. Officers unloaded several boxes of shotguns and submachine guns, and more than enough ammo to survive a siege. Mark went over the guns. Mossbergs with adjustable stocks and MP5s, one gun each for everybody in the Pokémon Center. Agent Jenny did a little more coaxing and managed to receive specialized suppressors for the shotguns and SMGs. Tesla wondered if they were even needed, but accepted them nonetheless. They could be used for surprise attacks, that's for sure.

As Agent Jenny sorted out the guns, Mark and Cilan got down to work. They first pushed all the couches to the back and lined them up in a row. The couch barricade touched from wall to wall, running parallel to the front entrance. An extra couch was placed inside the bottle neck opening that separated the lobby to the rest of the Pokémon Center. The couches weren't enough. They were nothing but cloth and patted materials. Bullets would go clean through like a hot knife in butter.

Rex requested crates loaded with bricks to be shipped in. The Soho Railyard warehouses seemed to have some on hand. Agent Jenny passed the word down. Within minutes a truck arrived and delivered a single wooden crate full of bricks. Agent Jenny explained it was all they had left as other people needed supplies.

"Are there any alternatives?" Mark asked.

Agent Jenny said, "I'll go find some."

She found them quick. Agent Jenny managed to locate some used books in a storage facility. They were boxed up and shipped to the Pokémon Center. Rex slid it in the front bottleneck barricade next to the box of bricks, then stepped back. It looked like was taking shape, sort of.

Wooden boards were collected from the local lumber yard. A miner saw from a local hardware store was brought in. Mark used it to cut the boards in length, then he hammered large galvanized nails into the wood to form a spike trap. He placed them over the sills all the windows in the Pokémon Center. Any Pokémon who would try to climb over the windows would get a spike through their hand or paw. Mark glued the boards in with chalk to make sure they stayed on for the entire day. As he was fitting in the chalk, he noticed the windows were thick with steel wire running through them. Nurse Joy told him they were bulletproof. Mark knew that even though these windows could stop bullets, they can't stop explosions. He wondered if the PRA would figure that out quickly. Perhaps so. They might stop one frag grenade, but nothing more.

Everyone helped pitched in to put the barricade up in place. Ash, Cilan, and Iris helped position makeshift barricade materials into place. Their Pokémon simply sat against the wall and watched. Ash's Pikachu had recovered just enough to figure out something wasn't right. Axew filled him in with the details as best he could. Confusion flushed the Mouse Pokémon's face, things were happening so fast that he couldn't even remember what happened the day before. Smugleaf and Woody grabbed hammers and nails as building material were brought in. They hammered nails into the boards like Mark had did, then they nailed them together, creating a crude spike fence. They simply leaned the fence against the inner larger barricade. Mark was impressed with their work, though he said it "has room for improvement." Both Pokémon weren't sure whether that was a good sign or not judging by the tone of his voice. Nonetheless, they were glad that they were being trusted.

Pinki and the other Audinos got out their available medical supplies from storage and took inventory. They took out the bandages and gauze pads that could be applied at a moment's notice and packed the rest away, then carried them box by box up into the attic. The thought of one of their own killing another was still sore, the old wound had reopened when they discovered she was coming back for more carnage. The Audinos had put up with Nurse Joy and her strict rules for a long time. They had to, it was their job to do so. The Audinos never gave it much thought that they never chose their profession, never chose to work here. With the PRA on the horizon, the Audinos soon understood why Tendon had done what she did. Of course, it didn't justify her cause, but it sure did brought to light the reason why: None of the Audinos had ever used their free-will to manipulate the paths of their own lives. It was all about the work, they were conditioned for the work. Treating the injured Pokémon and curing their ailments. The fact that they were helping people and Pokémon alike served as motivation. Now they were taking help to a whole new level, and this time there won't be a happy ending.

**. . .**

Tendon knew this well, she wasn't stupid as the rest of the PRA. She knew she might die in this raid. Knew that the PRA would cease to exist. Tendon knew Nobark's condition was becoming grave, and that he may succumb to his illness at any time. It was a nice run with the PRA, however she had her own agendas to worry about. Appendix's sister, Pinki, was still fixed to her mind. After fifteen years she hadn't moved out of Soho? All these years, she was there where she had left her? A definite sign of weakness, this was not an Audino worth having around.

Scout stuck his head through the infirmary's door and said, _"We're about to head out soon, Tendon. You got five minutes."_

Tendon turned and nodded. _"Five minutes is all I need."_

When Scout disappeared from the front door, Tendon opened up her drug cabinet and extracted several injection vials of morphine. She then opened up a separate drawer and pulled out a sterile package of a 100mL syringe. Tendon unwrapped the syringe and attached the hypodermic needle, then selected the oldest vial of morphine and stabbed the top. She managed to extract 70mL of morphine, more than a lethal dose for a grown man. Tendon had administered morphine before for patients with pain, and quite recently, for an unconscious Wotter. She knew the pre-cautions of morphine from medical school, but never saw how bad the effects would really be. Tendon lifted up the syringe and stared at its murky contents. _I may soon find out, _she thought.

Tendon stuck the safety cap over the hypodermic needle and shoved it into her backpack, along with a vibrator, some slugs for her shotgun, and some full 9mm clips for her secondary pistol. She also stuck some Valium inside her pack. Tendon wasn't sure if she might need it, but it was better to have it than not. After packing some extra gauze and anti-septic, she hoisted the backpack onto her back and headed out to join the others.

**. . .**

"On some days, I sometimes thought about a root beer float," said Tesla as he sat at one of the barricade couches as he dug out the last of the peanut butter jar. "I don't know why, I never even drink root beer. It's just that I wanted to melt some peanut butter and mix it into the ice cream, then put a high-quality brand of root beer in it. Tastes even better with cookie dough ice cream. Oh, that was the stuff."

"When's the last time you had one?" asked Mark.

Tesla shrugged, "Usually on the holidays, I think I had one on Christmas some years back. I actually spruced it with a shot. Damn, that was so good, especially when I added some chocolate milk with the peanut butter."

"That sounds fattening," said Rex.

Tesla shrugged. "Well, I gotta stay cuddly somehow."

Mark chuckled as he surveyed the barricade. It looked like crap, and dangerous. Boxes of bricks and other heavy equipment lined the first barricade, while some lighter materials lined the second. Nails stuck out of boards, glass was added here and there. It looked like their little setup would hold, sort of.

"How are you feeling, Tesla?" Rex asked.

Tesla screwed the cap back on the peanut butter jar and tossed it into the trash can. "How should I feel?"

"I don't know, a little worried, scared even."

"I'm too old to be worried, fear is pretty much non-existent. I've dealt with something like this before, I know what I'm doing."

"You sure?"

Tesla pointed at the front entrance. "The PRA wouldn't be smart enough to use the windows, they will go through what's obvious. All we have to do is wait for them, and once they're all lined up we mow them down."

The old Pikachu stared at the corner for a moment. Mark felt his heart sinking into his stomach. He didn't know why. This was a Pikachu who at one time harmed his Pokémon, and yet he himself had led them into him. Now he was trying to save them from his own best friend, whom he knew for decades. His heart must be breaking. If so, then Tesla wasn't showing it.

Mark looked around and found Ash in the lobby, he carefully navigated over the first barricade, trying not to stab himself with the nails. Once over, he quickly tapped Ash on the shoulder and said, "I need to speak with you in private, meet me outside when you're ready."

Ash got up to his feet immediately, "What's wrong?"

Mark said nothing, he waited until they were both outside. Then said, "You realize what Tesla's doing?"

"He's trying to stop Nobark," said Ash.

"No," said Mark. "I've just figured it out, I should have known this a long time ago."

"What is it, Mark?"

Mark pinched his nose and turned away. "He's sacrificing his best-friend to save us, Ash. More specifically, you. He knew Nobark longer than all of our ages combined. I found myself worried about him, Ash. I know you must be too. It takes quite a lot of nerve to do this. He chose you over his best-friend, Ash. I cannot make this any clearer to you."

Ash turned and gazed at Soho. Hammer strikes echoed in the distance, along with the occasional squeal and whine of a miter saw. Every few minutes or so, police sirens would squawk, sometimes going into a full-blown wail. The hatches were being batten down. Still no birds were singing, Mark kind of missed their songs.

"Will he be okay, Mark?" Ash asked.

"I don't think he would ever be okay, Ash. But look, if you're around, it makes life better for him."

Ash stood there for a moment, gave it some thought, then said, "You're right, being around him makes him feel better. Just how do I get him to relax?"

Mark placed a hand on Ash's shoulder. "After all this is over, make your move."

**. . .**

The PRA at Fort Wernher were already beginning to move. Nobark had just finished a meeting with the regiment leaders of the larger force. Tendon didn't say a word, she just watched as Nobark turned and walked away. The leaders seemed devoted to the cause, however they had a hint of doubt on their faces. That was to be expected. Nobark was unstable. In the long-term he would soon no longer be an effective leader, but for today he will be invaluable.

The conscripts were lined up back up in the courtyard. All were carrying both pistols, SMGs, and Assault rifles. They wore backpacks filled with appropriate ammunition magazines. Those without firearms held melee weapons. Blunt instruments, knives, axes, anything for close-quarters combat. The strategy was clear. Attack the humans first, capture or destroy their Pokémon if necessary. The water tank that was sitting on the derelict pickup truck was removed and replaced with the captured Team Rocket flamethrower. Without Woody to provide mechanical and technical support, Scout and Nobark had to do the modification themselves. The gas tank was fueled, oil and radiator fluid was added. Nobark pulled out the wires from the steering column and hotwired the engine. The motor sputtered and sprang to life. It coughed a pungent black cloud of soot out the back, nailing anyone who was unlucky enough to be away. Conscripts ran for fresh air, coughing profusely. Within minutes, the engine smoke cleared. Scout got behind the vehicle and shifted it into reverse, he backed out and turned the pickup around toward the East gate. Conscripts moved to make a clearing, and Scout casually drove through the gate without a problem.

Noon was fast approaching. Nobark stepped up and waved a shivering arm toward the East gate. All the conscripts moved forward. Many were excited, others were scared. Overall they were thrilled for action. They had done raids before, but this wasn't a raid. This was an invasion, and a large one.

Tendon and Nobark hitched a ride on the back of the pickup truck. A Pansear manned the flamethrower. He seemed calm, even relaxed. Nobark just ignored him, he took off his backpack and propped his AK-47 on his lap. Scout drove the pickup down the dirt road at a walking pace. The conscripts walked around them, their faces showing determination.

Tendon asked, _"So we breach the wall, set a few buildings on fire, and we're done?"_

Nobark nodded. _"For the psychological part, yes. It would cause all the fear we can conger up in Unova. We would pretty much accomplish the first objective after breaching the wall."_

_ "The second objective is assaulting any building that shows authority."_

_ "Correct, police and fire stations are immediate targets. City Hall would be the big one. Once we wipe out the Soho government, we accomplish our second objective."_

_ "Third objective?"_

_ "Blow up the ships at port. That would be the main force's job. While that is happening, we would be attacking the Pokémon Center itself. If Tesla is in there, which he will be, we will take him down with one clean swipe."_

Tendon asked, _"So what do we have in terms of powerful weapons?"_

_ "This flamethrower will do a lot of damage, plus the Tesla cannon."_

_ "The Tesla cannon?"_

_ "It's like the flamethrower, except it fires electricity, but much more dangerous."_

_ "Where is it?"_

Nobark pointed out toward the forest. _"I placed it in the transport truck, they're driving around toward the main road. We should meet them there."_

_ "Who's operating it?"_

_ "Cabot's Emolga."_

Tendon raised an eyebrow. _"That squirrel?"_

_ "He's the only one who can use the damn thing. I had it cleaned and primed before we took off. It should be easy to use, all he had to do is squeeze the trigger, and if he needs to recharge, he can simply flip the thing in reverse and extract any electricity in any electrical source up to one hundred meters."_

Tendon nodded. _"It's going to be a long day."_

_ "It sure is, maybe it will take us all night. I don't know, we haven't done this before," _Nobark turned toward the Pansear. _"Ready the flamethrower!"_

The Pansear opened the valves and checked the sparkler, then depress the trigger. A puff of hot flame shot out the muzzle. Tendon felt the air around her face became hot as the sun within a fraction of a second. The flame fizzled, reduced to hot air. _"Yeah," _the Pansear cheered. _"It's ready."_

_ "Save the fuel for the Pokémon Center," _said Nobark. _"We'll use this as a last resort. Tesla might have the place well-guarded. If we can't storm the Pokémon Center, we'll burn them out."_

**. . .**

Tesla checked the clock, it read 1134. Noon is not too far away. He turned to the group and said, "Okay, guys, we better start getting ready. Everyone use the bathrooms and eat your lunch, it may be sometime before you have another such opportunity."

Everyone crowded the restrooms. Toilets flushed, sinks hissed away. Within minutes they soon came out. Rex lead everyone upstairs and pulled down the step-ladder to the attic. Nurse Joy and the Audinos went up first. They carried both Wotter and Swoo IV up to the attic. Swoo IV was wide alert and conscious. She looked scared, but was cooperating.

Tesla went up to Smugleaf and Woody and said, "You guys better get up there when sh*t goes down."

"We can't help?" Smugleaf asked.

"Nobark is thinking you're taken as hostage. If word gets out around the PRA that you betrayed them, they will try to slit your throats," Tesla let out a sigh. "I don't want your reputation among them ruined, cause I care, and it would go against the deal we made when getting you guys to Faraday Island. You won't be the only Pokémon seeking refuge on that island. I want you guys to look like the victim in all this. I don't want Nobark thinking anything else than that."

Woody looked puzzled. _"I don't even know whose side we're on anymore."_

"We're on the side of rationality, Nobark is on the insanity's side. Everyone else is just following orders," Tesla turned back to Smugleaf. "Get Bubbles and Joltik and go up there. It's either in hiding or be under police custody, you don't have much choice in the matter."

Smugleaf nodded. "Judging by how violent the PRA can get, they are more of a danger to themselves than to people." Then she asked, "So we're not getting screwed over either way?"

"If Nobark kills me and everybody else protecting Soho, then you should be covered. However you are going to see a lot of executions. Nobark might have you yourself put Mark's Pokémon down."

Smugleaf's eyes went wide. "Oh no."

Bubbles and Joltik stepped up, Smugleaf took the Sea Otter by the hand. "Come on, Bubbles. Up we go."

_"Will we be safe?" _Bubbles asked.

Tesla said, "Safe enough."

Once the last of the "captive" PRA soldiers went up, Ash, Iris, and Cilan went upstairs. Axew and Pikachu were silent, their instincts running wild. They understand perfectly what was about to go down. Once Ash's friends went up, he stopped and turned toward Tesla. "Will you be okay?"

Tesla said nothing.

"Tesla?"

"I just want you know, Ash. That I'm sorry you have to go through this. There's a chance Nobark would win. I'll fight tooth and nail to make sure he doesn't go up there and line you up against the wall. Nobark may be one of my closest friends, but he too far gone to be save. No matter what happens today, Nobark will pass away eventually. I can promise you that."

"But will you be okay?" Ash asked again.

Tesla shrugged. "This is harder for me than everyone else. Indirectly this is my fault, I should have let my trainer put him down a long time ago. All I could do now is clean up the mess I made and take responsibility for Nobark's actions. I can't let his madness continue even after he's long gone."

Ash bent over and scooped Tesla up, then gave him a big hug. "You're not as bad as everyone thinks, Tes. I know that."

"Which is why I'm taking the brunt of this," said Tesla. "Go up, Ash, and hope that this would all be over."

Ash sat Tesla down and nodded. "Alright, but what if the inevitable happens?"

"Once you go up there, assume that any Pokémon besides me is hostile, and if they try to come up you knock them back down. If the PRA overwhelms us, stay silent, like nobody's home. If they do managed to find you, destroy the retractable ladder and hang on till reinforcements arrive."

Ash nodded. "Okay, I got you. Be careful, Tesla. I hope you'll be okay."

Mark watched Ash ascend up the stairs and disappeared into the attic, he turned to his own Pokémon and nodded. "You four better get up there too, same deal what Tesla told Ash."

Emolga, Tesla's great-granddaughter, and Plusle and Minun's eyes teared. _"But, Mark!" _Emolga pleaded.

_"Not negotiable," _said Tesla. _"Mark's trained in the army, he won't go down so easily."_

Mark crouched and gave all four of his Pokémon a big hug. "I love you, guys," he said. "I can't promise you that I will be okay, but I can promise you I won't let those Pokésh*ts up that staircase over my dead body."

All four Pokémon eventually let go, gave one final glance at their trainer before climbing up the stairs. Rex came in and nudged Sara and Volts toward the ladder, saying, "Don't make this hard, guys. I have experience in war, I'm not going to lock up in the mid of danger."

_"I don't wanna," _said Sara.

Tesla said, "You better go up that ladder, you won't last a minute when anarchy erupts."

Sara pouted, _"No!"_

Tesla rolled his eyes. "Well then."

He walked up to Volts and scooped him up in his arms. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon screamed, Sara panicked. Volts kicked and fought Tesla as he carried him up the stairs. Rex shot a hand out toward him, "Tesla, wait!"

Sara eventually dropped to her knees and pleaded. _"Please, I will go up. Just don't take him up there without me!"_

Volts stopped fighting. Tesla turned around and came back down, then handed Volts into her hands. _"My own mama had to beg on her knees when Team Rocket took me away," _said Tesla. _"Don't let the same thing happen today."_

Sara nodded, she reached up with a free arm and hugged Tesla. _"Thank you," _she said. _"I won't let them take Volts."_

Tesla rubbed Volts's head. _"Stay safe, little guy."_

Volts nodded, he then buried his face into his mom's chest as she started up the ladder. When she made it to the top, Mark reached down and pulled the retractable ladder up. It closed with a heavy thud.

"Is it going to be really bad?" Mark asked.

"Yeah," said Tesla. "It's going to be really bad."

When the three returned to their barricade, they picked up their weapons and loaded them. Mark and Rex both got out shotguns and loaded them with slug rounds. Tesla picked up an MP5 and grabbed some magazines. "You've got duct tape?"

Rex went to the utility room and returned with a roll of duct tape. He tossed it to Tesla. The old Pikachu caught it with both hands. "Thank you."

Tesla took to magazines and placed them next to each other, then flipped one of them around so that both their bottoms were inverted. He then stripped out a sliver of duct tape and wrapped the magazines together. Dual mags were a blessing. Each mag was at least 30 rounds, so duct taping two together would increase the threshold to sixty. Since he has no garments to carry ammunition, he would have to duct tape each mag to increase reload time. Tesla got to work, he took the magazines and began duct taping them together. Within minutes he built up a hefty pile. He had plenty of mags, as the Soho PD were "generous" enough to lend the Pokémon Center a lot of ammunition. Tesla wondered how big their armory really was, maybe they were more militarized than he previously thought.

Mark said, "You never liked playing by the rules, do you."

Definitely not a question, Tesla nodded. "Always had since my twenties."

"Is that why you've pestered the Faraday City PD for twenty years?"

"I was wanted by the law, I had no choice."

"Sure you do, you can disable Faraday City's power. Maybe you can wager that over them, probably use that to get them to negotiate with you."

Tesla frowned. "I wasn't f*cking ready to take on the Island and I don't have much f*cking support. I was on my own, Mark. _Alone. _I was hungry, I was angry, and I was lonely. I wasn't ready to even do anything."

Mark cocked his Mossberg, then propped it up against the barricade. "So what if I brought my grandfather with me to your little hideaway? What if I brought Andy as well? What if I track down all your past friends and family members, such as Ray and Bruiser, and bring them to your doorstep. What would you do?"

"First of all, I would be confused. I don't know who Ray and Bruiser were at the time. I would be excited to see Andy, but having your father and his father in the mix, along with you, is going to make me brain dead."

"Why?"

Tesla paused for a moment. "Cause I never thought anyone actually cared about me since Irvin."

The old Pikachu turned away for a moment. That was something he hadn't expected. After twenty years of desolation, and constantly running from the law, a small crowd of loved ones coming in and taking him under his wing was the last thing on his mind. A warm bed, a hot bath, and all the food he could eat. Maybe he would recover from Irvin's death, maybe he would give in and turn himself in. He didn't send himself into self-exile to avoid death. He wanted to live, to have his freedom.

Tesla looked up at Mark and asked, "What are you up to, Mark?"

"Something I've should've done when things were peaceful," he said. "I don't know how to apologize in such a way that would make you feel better, cause I know you won't feel better, and maybe never will be. But just so you know, I didn't come out to your hideout with Ash just to start a rivalry. I inherited the responsibility in caring for you. I don't know what kind of contract you've agreed with Irvin, but if it involves friends pitching in for your care-"

"It does," said Tesla.

"Then I will upheld that part of the contract," Mark set back in the couch barricade and stared up at the ceiling. "I know I've been an asshole and so have you, but I just don't want our relationship to be a rivalry forever. If you go down today, and never come back up, I'll take you back home for a proper burial. I won't let any overeager fan get a hold of your remains."

Tesla said, "That is very generous of you, Mark. That means a lot."

Mark held up a hand and rubbed Tesla's head. He squeezed his eyes pulled himself into a tight ball, he felt his temper steaming through his ears.

"You don't like that, or is it just habit?"

Tesla relaxed and took a deep breath. "I don't even know anymore."

Rex looked out toward the door and said, "Well, this is awkward. I don't know any of this family dynamics or anything, but you think Nobark would come to his senses at any time during the battle? Of course, he's screwed. But maybe he would get the chance to apologize to us, or something?"

Before Tesla could answer, the front doors opened. Agent Jenny came inside. She wore a backback with a rifle in her hands. The rifle looked big, and serious, though a little old.

"How does it look out there?" Rex asked.

"Like a fortress," said Agent Jenny. "Though the City Council thinks it's all unnecessary."

Mark chuckled. "Will they get one f*ck of a surprise."

Agent Jenny climbed over the barricades and joined the rest of the group. "So this is it?" she asked.

"Yup," said Mark. "This is it, everybody else is up in the attic."

Tesla looked over at Agent Jenny and asked, "Is that an M1 Garand?"

"A modern one, not an antique. This weapon takes 7.62x51mm ammunition, holding eight rounds and accurate up to 450 meters."

"Does it have that little ding when you fire the last round?"

Agent Jenny said, "It's an M1 Garand, of course it does."

Mark asked, "How many clips did you bring?"

Agent Jenny set down her gun, she took off her backpack and dumped its contents onto the couch. A pile of 7.62x51 clips fell out, along with a few 9mm magazines. "More than enough," she said. "The M1 Garand is normally used to tranquilize Pokémon in law enforcement, but we have the ammunition for a more lethal purpose."

"Had you fired it?" Tesla asked.

"Cleaned and tested before I got here."

Tesla turned back to the clock, 1155. "Right on time," he said. "Cause the invasion is about to begin."

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	46. Chapter 46

_Chapter 46_

Both the PRA main force and Nobark's regiment stood at the border of Soho. A flat grass plain separates them from the wall. Kilometers of the cinderblock ribbon spanned across the landscape. Save for two checkpoints, nothing was getting through the wall.

Until today.

The "demo experts" worked fast. They rushed up to the wall and duct taped sticks of dynamite to its surface. They weren't sure how much dynamite they needed, so they stuck on all the explosives they had. It wasn't clean. The wall was pop marked with gunpowder, dynamite, and some Molotovs. Once the demo experts were all set, everyone took cover behind whatever they could find and readied their RPGs. In an uncoordinated symphony, rocket-propelled grenades arched through the air, followed by columns of fire from the fire-type Pokémon. The rockets and fire struck the wall like hailstones. The explosives ignited. Chunks of earth and mortar blast in all directions as the concussion ripped across the wall. Again, it wasn't clean. Some parts of the wall got more bang than needed, sending debris and shrapnel back at the PRA. They went prone as fire and smoke ripped centimeters above their backs.

The dust settled, revealing large maws through the wall. Bits of rebar still stood where there used to be cinderblock and concrete. Some areas of the wall had craters knee deep. Not a problem for the PRA, there were plenty of room to squeeze through and penetrate the town beyond. Nobark stood on top of the pickup truck and held up his AK-47, screaming out a battle cry. Every radical, blood-crazed Pokémon conscript rushed through the wall, screaming their own battle cries. Nobark got back down and Scout drove the pickup through the breached wall. The rest of the Fort Wernher regiment stayed close behind, their weapons primed and ready.

The Soho PD and URP SWAT teams didn't realize the sheer size of the PRA until they met them face to face. Police roadblocks and barricades guard the city center. The officers manning them were horrified when a crowd of Pokémon, packing shoulder to shoulder, unleash their rage by catapulting everything they've got upon the defenders. Squad cars explode upon RPG impacts, peacekeepers and SWAT officers were overwhelmed. They fired tear gas into the PRA clusters. It had noticeable effect. The Pokémon dispersed, their eyes and lungs burned as they scrambled for fresher air. Enraged, they lobbed Molotovs at the officers in return. The bottles explode, engulfing the defenders in a sea of fire. Their screams muffled by the sirens and alarms that deafen the city.

The PRA's main goal was to cause as much damage as "humanly" possible. So they smash open windows with crowbars and fire axes, then tossed a fire bottle into living rooms and store fronts. Buildings quickly go up in flames. Those taking shelter inside scrambled out to escape the blaze only to turn into Swizz cheese by PRA riflemen.

The Soho PD regrouped, this time forming a much stronger barricade at key choke points. Peacekeepers lined each barricade. They wore riot gear, wielding riot shields and SMGs. The cops barely had time to spare, when the last peacekeeper moved into position the clusters made another push toward the city core. The PRA got out their shotguns. They were loaded with slug rounds, some of which were captured from human forces. The conscripts held up their shotguns and fired. Thick heavy slugs smacked into the peacekeepers' riot shields. The bullet-resistant material of the shields could barely absorb the shock. The force knocked the cops back, some knocking them onto their rears. The PRA followed up with Flamethrowers, Thunderbolts, and Hydro Pumps. The remaining peacekeepers were swept aside like ants, the PRA rolled over them. Some made sure they would never get up again.

The PRA soon overtook the Soho police station. Veteran officers, some of which have fought the PRA before in the first attack, were ready for them. Fire engines were set up. When the first of the clusters came running around the corner, the water cannon was unleashed. The fire engines own water attack was far more powerful than any Water-type move in existence. When it blast into the PRA clusters, the water pressure ripped away fur and scales, then skin, exposing the skeletal muscles underneath. Some Pokémon were thrown down streets, slamming into buildings and parked cars before rag-dolling. The peacekeepers backed it up with tear gas. The water cannon, tear gas punch held the attackers off. They backed away and regrouped once they were out of range.

Eventually the PRA managed to locate Soho's power sub-station. They fired their weapons and unleashed powerful Pokémon moves. One by one the transformers exploded in a shower of sparks. Fire-type Pokémon moved in with Flamethrower. The transformers were destroyed and melted into the concrete foundation, it looked like a nuclear reactor had a case of China syndrome.

The power around Soho was soon cut. Those who were shielding from much of the fighting watched the lights extinguish without warning. TVs went dead, power lines went out. Soho's internet broadband collapsed. For the first time in fifteen years, Soho's communication was cut off from the outside world.

**. . .**

Tesla listened to the faint explosions going off around him. He was eating out of a can of baked beans with the lights went out. His human allies suddenly were alert. Tesla simply remained calm, sitting on the couch and took his time eating his beans.

"Shut off the backup generator, Rex," said Mark. "If wires come loose, we better not have them flail around and shock us."

"Right, on it."

Rex quickly moved to the back and flipped off the breaker to the backup generator, then returned to the group. "Both the main breakers to the outside and the generator is off."

Tesla finished his baked beans, he calmly dropped the can into the trash can and picked up his weapon.

"You seem awfully calm," said Mark.

"I've been waiting for this for years," said Tesla. "I have a lot of aggression built up from being around idiots for so long."

"This is not a game, Tesla."

"Of course it's not, but to them, it is. That's what pisses me off."

A moment of silence passed before Rex asked, "You guys have anything to declare?"

Mark asked, "What, why?"

"We might not survive this."

Agent Jenny nodded, "He has a point, we might not live through this."

Everyone sat in an awkward silence. "Well," said Rex. "Anything at all?"

Agent Jenny said, "Four years ago I went to investigate a possible suspect to a series of murders around North of Unova. I walked into the house and found disembodied human heads all over the place. They lined up every table, every shelf, even up against the sides of the walls, in a neat order. There was no discrimination whatsoever. Males and females of all ages, no discrimination whatsoever." She changed the position of her shotgun and adjusted herself, "I found the bastard in the kitchen, cooking fresh arms in a large cooking bot. He didn't panic or threw his hands up, he simply turned around and said, 'Hello.' I had my gun out, trained at his chest. My trigger finger was itching."

"A cannibal?" Mark asked.

"The worst possible kind."

Tesla asked, "So what happened?"

"I noticed a kitchen knife within his arm's reach. I asked him to pick it up. He cooperated, and so when he picked it up, I unloaded my clip into his chest and face. He went down like a ton of bricks."

"Traditional justice," said Mark.

"Quite so," said Agent Jenny. "The official report said he attacked me, so I acted in self-defense, but everyone knew better. However, no question was raised. The case was reviewed, then closed. End of story."

Rex took a deep breath and relaxed. "Just a few months after I took both Sara and Volts in, I was at home doing laundry. It was in the middle of the night, Volts and Sara were asleep, or so I thought. Just when I ironed the last t-shirt, I heard Volts crying in the bedroom. At first I thought it was another nightmare, until I heard a scuffle, and Sara dropping on the floor." Rex took a moment to recall the moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I remember now. I walked toward the bedroom, calling their name. They didn't answer. I wasn't sure what I was going to find until I opened up the bedroom door and flipped the lights on."

He squeezed his eyes. "There was sh*t, everywhere."

Tesla and Mark chuckled, trying to contain their laughter. Agent Jenny let out a smile, but didn't laugh herself.

Rex grinned. "Sara and Volts were on the floor, they were covered in their own feces. It was all over the bed sheets and back wall. The smell was so awful that I had to run to the bathroom and vomit."

"Was it diarrhea?" Tesla asked.

"No, it was pure regular sh*t. There was a barbecue cookout the other day, I let them eat until the cows come home. They were practically waddling on their feet, struggling to hold up their girth. It came out all at once out the other end. I could barely hold my laughter."

"So what did you do about it?" Agent Jenny asked.

"I simply gave Sara and Volts a bath and we all slept on the couch. They were both apologizing non-stop, more so Sara than volts. I think she had more in her sh*t in her than her son. Once they were clean, I dried them off and took them to the living room. Sara and Volts reduced to crying. I simply sat down and Sara crawled up right up on me, and before I knew it, she started licking my face. Of course, it was nothing new. She gives me kisses all the time." Rex then let out a chuckle. "I didn't expect her to pucker her lips and actually kiss me in the mouth, human style."

Mark chuckled. "How was it?"

Rex shrugged. "She was a great kisser."

Everyone broke out laughing, even Agent Jenny, who was silent at this point, couldn't contain it no longer. "Why did she do that?" Tesla asked.

"She had romantic feelings for me," said Rex. "I just couldn't discipline her, she really loved me."

"Anything more after that?" Tesla asked.

"No, we all went to bed. She was constantly moving as I was trying to sleep, I don't want to know what she was actually doing."

When everyone calmed down, another explosion rocked the building. It was closer than the ones before, the PRA weren't far away.

Mark said, "About a week ago, the night before I went and got my ass strung in a cell at Fort Wernher. I ordered room service and let my Pokémon pig out. Lots of food, for them at least. They had a rough day at Soho, the police weren't so gentle with them."

"You stirred up a lot of trouble with the Soho PD," said Agent Jenny. "Aggravated assault and resisting arrest, along with all sorts of misdemeanors."

Mark nodded. "They were upset, they were afraid of losing me. I couldn't blame them, I f*cked up. I got them into harm's way twice, and f*cked everything else up. I was glad Tesla was there to pull my ass out."

"You're welcome," Tesla added.

"What happened that night?" Rex asked.

"I was lying in bed, trying to sleep, when my Pikachu started bugging me. She looked uncomfortable, she was squirming around. I pulled her close to me and asked her what was wrong? Then she patted…"

Mark stopped right there, he grabbed his hair. "I reached out with a hand and things got serious."

Tesla facepalmed and said, "You son of a b*tch."

"Really!?" Agent Jenny barked.

"Like Sara, my mouse has romantic feelings for me. And like Sara, it was love at first sight with her," Mark took a deep breath. "Look, I told her there could be serious consequences for this. That was before _and _after the deed. I was hard on her about it the next day, the PRA sure did no favors. They couldn't come at a much better time. Strained relationship, forbidden love that only goes one-way. I mean, I love my Pokémon, but not how my Pikachu loves me."

Tesla shook his head. "I can't blame you for that, I have no right to. That Pikachu loves you, no questions asked." He looked up at the ceiling and said, "I wonder what she's thinking right now."

After a brief moment of silence, Mark asked, "What about you, Tesla? What do you have to declare?"

Tesla shrugged. "I've already admitted and confessed to a lot of things, all of which is just as bizarre and illegal as your stories. However, I do know one moment that goes back in my childhood days, back when I was a Pichu and the world was happier then."

The old Pikachu flexed his muscles. "It was nighttime, my parents and brothers and sisters were heading back to the nest. We got into our usual sleeping positions in our small burrow. We were all packed shoulder to shoulder. It was a cold autumn that year, we were all cold."

The memories soon came flowing back to Tesla. He smiled, "We were all riled up, still bouncing up and down like the little kids we were. My father couldn't calm us down, we were too hyper to hold still. My mama stepped in, 'Here, Honey," she says in the Pokémon language. 'I got this.' My dad simply shrugged and got into a comfortable position, he was asleep minutes later."

Tesla kept on smiling and said, "I have a lot of happy memories from those years, more so than my later life. I think this one practically helped forged a proper relationship with Polly, but the moment itself is weird as f*ck."

"What did your mom do?" Mark asked.

"She went to me first. My mama cuddled me, tickled me. Just to get me all giggly. Once I was ready, I watched her turned me onto my back, then spread my legs apart. The next thing I knew was that she clasped her mouth on my penis and began sucking."

Everyone's jaws dropped. "Your mom gave you a blow job?" Mark asked.

"We were so close," Tesla insisted. "All Pikachus are like that."

Tesla blinked, then continued. "I practically melted. Fireworks were going off, endorphins rushed through my brain. I was on cloud nine, I practically slept on it throughout the night. That was what my first orgasm felt like, I could understand what Smugleaf was trying to go after for fifteen years. It felt so good that all my siblings wanted one."

"She swallowed?" Rex asked.

Tesla nodded. "Of course she did, she even gave my sisters a blow job as well."

Rex grabbed his eyes. "Oh no, ugh!"

Agent Jenny turned away. "Okay, now I thought my cannibal head story would have done it."

Mark simply asked. "Why did she do it?"

"It's a form of sleep aid," said Tesla. "We were all dead asleep by midnight."

Mark's set his hand on Tesla's head and rubbed his scalp. "Tesla, you're the best Pikachu Faraday Island ever had."

"Ugh, gee. Thank you, Mark."

**. . .**

Nobark navigated the Soho roads via memory. The town sure had prepared for him. Store fronts and houses were boarded and barricaded. He had no interest in the buildings but one. _"Take a right up here,"_ he told Scout.

Scout made the turn as commanded. Nobark looked back from where they came. His little regiment was staying close to the pickup truck as much as possible. They were driving around walking distance, which would give the defenders enough time to set up an ambush. Nobark didn't smell any nearby humans, nor did he sense opposing Pokémon. With the Soho PD and URP focused on the main force, he marched unopposed through the back streets with ease.

_"It sure has changed a lot since I was last here," _said Tendon. _"I wonder what the Pokémon Center looks like after all these years."_

_ "Turn left through this alley," _said Nobark.

Scout squeezed the pickup truck through the alley. The Fort Wernher regiment stayed close, huddling shoulder to shoulder. The pickup trucks tailpipe belched a thick navy-blue cloud into their faces. The PRA were used to claustrophobic and dirty conditions, they didn't mind that the pickup truck's exhaust was suffocating them, they were used to pollution. For some reason Nobark felt a ping of regret from that. Humans were the main reason why the world was so polluted, and here he was, riding in the back of a diesel-powered pickup truck. That wasn't doing the environment any favors.

Scout drove the pickup out of the alley and drove down another road. This part of Soho hadn't hunkered down. The stores weren't boarded, nor were their gates shut. They were recently looted, maybe just a few minutes after the invasion had started. Every store on the road had gaping maws through their store fronts where glass used to be. The doors were kicked down. Some were wrenched off their hinges with a motorized vehicle. The PRA main force had come through here. They were nowhere even close to here. Nobark scanned the broken store fronts. He peered through the windows as Scout drives by. The shelves were stripped clean. Empty, save for trash and useless junk. Cash registers were smashed open, their drawers missing.

"_Looks like Soho is cannibalizing itself," _said Tendon.

"_That they are," _said Nobark. _"This might help us in the long run."_

A human suddenly popped out of an abandoned store just as Scout drove by. When he saw the PRA, he froze. He wasn't a cop, nor did he looked like a soldier. His clothes were civilian. They were worn, tattered, with several tears stitched closed by what seemed to be amateur hands. He wore a school backpack that was bulging at max capacity, the zippers stretching at their seams. He had what looked like grocery bags stuffed with loot hanging from his arms. Nobark stared at him as they passed him. The civilian looked more confused than scared. He quickly realized Nobark wasn't someone to tread with. The human maintained eye contact as he quietly stepped back into the store, he soon vanished within the building's shadows.

"_Why are all humans scared of us?" _Tendon asked. _"I thought they were willing to fight the PRA."_

"_It's not that they are scared of us, it's because they don't know how to survive. They're scared because we have perseverance, not them."_

And Nobark sure had the advantage, he and his Fort Wernher army continued unopposed until they were within sight of the Soho Pokémon Center.

**. . .**

"They're here," said Mark as he peaked through the gaps of the boarded window.

"How many?" Rex asked.

"Hard to say, they're not all here yet. However, they've brought in a technical."

"A technical?" Agent Jenny asked.

"Machine guns mounted on the back of pickup trucks," said Mark. "Except in this case that mounted weapon doesn't look like a machine gun, looks more like a flamethrower."

Tesla said, "Nobark must have found the secret Team Rocket weapon's stash, looks like they're going to try to burn us out after all."

Rex picked up the fire extinguishers and laid them on the couch barricade. "How will they attack, Tesla?"

"They'll charge in through the front door," said Tesla. "So open it."

Rex climbed over the barricades and reached the front entrance. He slammed his shoulder into the sliding doors, they detached from their breakaway rails and swung outward. Rex quickly ran back and rejoined the group. Everyone got into their firing positions and checked their guns and ammo one final time. "Mark," said Tesla. "You fire first. If you see any Pokémon sticking its head through that door, you fire. Remember, they're here for war, not for negotiations."

Mark let out a smirk. "You don't have to tell me twice."

**. . .**

_"Definitely Tesla's handiwork," _said Nobark as he surveyed the Pokémon Center. All the windows were boarded with plywood and planks. The back door to the Pokémon Center was not only boarded but blocked by heavy furniture and appliances. The only way in was through the front door. The sliding doors were kicked wide open, Nobark couldn't see any light shining inside. _"He's ready for us, he's got the front door open for us to walk in."_

_ "It's a death trap in there," _said Tendon.

_"Exactly, that's why we're going to turn it on them." _Nobark turned to the Pansear. _"Ready the flamethrower. We're going to shoot it into the lobby."_

**. . .**

The PRA forces with sniper rifles and other long-range weapons took positions in the buildings surrounding the Pokémon Center. Many took positions on the roofs, those without roof access took positions at the highest floor's windows. Humans and their Pokémon taking cover inside were driven out or shot. Those who ran scatter like rodents, frantically searching for other buildings for shelter. Once the snipers and their spotters were in position, the Pokémon with mid to close range weapons got into battle formations. Nobark gave them no instructions how to assault the Pokémon Center, the part of his brain responsible for decision making had all but cease functioning. He was running off of instinct and his multiple personalities now, which none of whom knew how to execute a proper assault.

He and Tendon got off the pickup and leave Scout to his objective. Nobark then broke into a nearby office building and made his way to the roof. Tendon followed behind, keeping his back covered for an ambush. The building for the most part was empty. No paper pushers and typists were in sight. The workers probably hadn't come into work today.

Nobark stepped onto the roof and surveyed the area, Tendon shut the roof access door and stuck a lead pipe underneath the door handle. Nobody was getting through that door without busting the door knob. She then rejoined Nobark, they both overlooked the Pokémon Center's courtyard. The battle was just about to begin.

**. . .**

"Any moment now," Mark softly mutter to himself.

He stared down the sights toward the front door, his trigger finger ready. Rex sat to his left, Agent Jenny to his right. They both had their weapons also trained at the door. Tesla was smashed right between him and Rex. The old Pikachu barely had any elbow room, but he didn't seemed to mind. Mark scooted a tab toward Agent Jenny to give Tesla some breathing space. The Mouse Pokémon adjusted himself, training his MP5 dual mag at the door.

"Aim for the head," said Tesla. "Once the PRA gets going, no bullets through the body will stop them fast. A shot through the heart would take seconds for them to go down. A headshot will kill them before they hit the ground."

"These shotguns are loaded with rifled slugs," said Rex. "Should blast them to pieces."

"I don't care how powerful the shotguns are, I'm not taking any chances. I was shot in the leg once and I nearly bled out. It took me 45 minutes before I had no energy left to stand."

"What round was it?"

"9mm Parabellum, from a Glock 17."

Tesla didn't add that Mark's dad was the one who shot him, no one needs to know that. Mark relaxed and turned his focus back to the door. _The medulla oblongata, _Mark told himself. _Aim for the kill spot._

They sat there for five minutes, waiting for the PRA to come in. Soft Pokémon noises echoed from outside along with tiny footsteps. The rhythm of the footsteps suggested that most of the Pokémon were bi-pedal. A single slug would do tremendous damage to them, something they could never recover from. Mark had no intention of letting a single conscript survive.

The five minute mark passed, everything went deafly silent. Ten minute mark passed, nothing. Mark was sure they were going to try to wait them out, or maybe they were hesitating to make a move. Rex and Agent Jenny readjusted their positions while Tesla stayed perfectly still, his patience showing no sign of waning.

The fifteen minute mark passed, still nothing.

"This is pissing me off," Agent Jenny mumbled.

"That's the whole idea," said Tesla. "They're waiting us out."

The twenty minute mark passed, finally something happened. Mark could hear the drone of the technical approach the Pokémon Center. He craned his neck, just in time to see the technical pull up next to the front door. It's flamethrower charging up.

"Get down!" he cried.

Everyone hit the floor as fire shot inside the lobby. The temperature quickly shot up. Smoke started collecting in the ceiling. Everything smelled like it was burning. The fire alarm on the wall started going off, its high-pitched squeals blared into Mark's ears. He covered his head as the front barricade took the blunt of the flamethrower. Hot air blast underneath the couch and against Mark's side. Sweat started beading around his neck and forehead, everything was so blistering hot. Mark looked up at the thermostat on the wall. The LED numbers read 40 degrees Celsius, and climbing.

A blast of cold white gas arched across his back, giving Mark a moment of relief. He looked up and saw Rex blasting the fire extinguisher across the couch. The barricade was burning up. Everything above the arm rests were engulfed in flames.

"Everyone cover your ears!"

Mark shot around and saw Agent Jenny fishing out a flashbang out of her backpack, she pulled the pin and tossed it into the fire. Mark covered his ears and squeezed his eyes shut. The whole world flashed with a mighty bang. The flamethrower fell silent a second later.

He grabbed his shotgun and stood up. The barricade was ruined. The crates were singed, still burning. Rex quickly showered it with compressed Co2 gas, the last of the flames were snuffed out. The floors and walls were now charred with black soot. Picture frames and plants were burned and melted, nothing left but rubble. The front doors were partially burnt, but still retained their shape.

The PRA technical itself came into view. Mark could see a Pansage hanging off the bag. Its face was in anguished. It was grabbing its eyes, screaming. Mark aimed the Mossberg and depressed the trigger.

The slug round boomed, kicking the adjustable stock into Mark's shoulder. The back of the Pansear's head exploded with pink and grey matter. It went limp, the body slumped back into the technical and disappeared as the vehicle sped out of the entrance.

"Tango down," Mark announced. "That flamethrower won't be running for a while."

When Rex finished cooling the barricade with the fire extinguisher, Tesla climbed back up. His yellow fur was matted with soot, but uninjured. "You okay, Tesla?" Mark asked.

"Never better," he said. "Take point, here they come."

**. . .**

The ground conscripts held up their weapons and let out a battle cry. Nobark sat down on the edge of the roof and looked on as his soldiers charged through the Pokémon Center's front door. The pickup truck quickly cruised back to safety where a new grunt manned the flamethrower. The Pansear's body was simply tossed out and dumped into the street, bits of meat and blood splattered from the fatal wound as it hit the ground. Once ready, the pickup stayed put, awaiting orders to be called back into action. They don't need to wait long.

"Let's see how strong you really are, Tesla." Nobark thought aloud.

**. . .**

The PRA started coming in within seconds. Mark took a deep breath and lined up his sights. The first Pokémon to stick its head out was a Pignite. He wore a bulletproof vest, and in his hands was a fire ax. The fire ax had showed some wear and tear. The paint was chipped, the wooden handle was starting to bleach. The Fire Pig Pokémon heaved the back the ax head and expand his lungs, ready for a firey Flamethrower/ Axe combo. Agent Jenny's M1 Garand sunk a round through its throat. The Pignite went limp. He toppled backwards, his axe clattering onto the charred floor.

More PRA started coming in. First two, then three at a time. The group worked fast. Each time a bi-petal or a quadruped stuck came into the Pokémon Center, they caught a bullet or slug through the chest or head. Mark kept his cool, pacing his shots. He blast a shell through each Pokémon's melon come rolling his way. _Don't think, _Mark's former drill-sergeant's voice echoed in his head. _Don't think, just shoot. Thinking will get you killed._

Apparently the PRA were thinking. Some were coming in hesitantly, others were just running in and took a brief moment to catch a glimpse of a dead comrade lying on the floor. They were easy prey. Each thump of a shotgun and Jenny's M1 Garand was followed by the thump of a body hitting the floor.

Agent Jenny's M1 Garand dinged like a service bell, nearly distracting Mark. A Patrat taking cover behind the door stuck its head out wondering what the sound was. Mark took its face off with a shotgun blast. Blood blasted across the grass outside as the body slumped to the ground. "I'm out," said Agent Jenny. "Reloading!"

Agent Jenny quickly got down to cover and grabbed a cartridge. Mark attempt to cover her by providing suppressing fire. One Pokémon with flashy rainbow colors came up with a crossbow. Mark ducked as the bolt came flying centimeters above his head. Rex's shotgun boomed. "Got 'im," he said.

Mark turned around toward where the bolt went. It was sticking out of the wall just underneath the clock. The bolt went halfway through the wall before coming to a stop. He quickly grabbed the box of shotgun shells and started cramming rounds into his shotgun. Mark stuck in the eighth one, cocked it once, then squeezed in a ninth. He looked up to see Tesla leaning his knee against the top of the couch's back support. He was tapping his MP5 twice per second, taking quick even shots at Nobark's goons. His face showed a surreal peaceful calm, his eyes focused on the task. Just when Mark got back up, Tesla began screaming in Pokémon speech. He sounded like he was spitting taunts and threats and battle cries. Two more Pokémon froze upon seeing him. They went down a second later.

"How about them apples!" Tesla cheered. He got down and flipped his dual mag around, then chambered a fresh round.

Mark could see the safety switch was set to semi-auto, indeed Tesla was a "person" of patience. Seeing an incoming horde of Pokémon would make Mark go rock 'n roll with a fully-automatic assault rifle.

"Who taught you trigger discipline, Tesla?" Mark cried out over the gunfire.

Tesla didn't respond, he calmly got back up and resumed firing. Mark quickly got back into position as Agent Jenny brought her M1 Garand back up. Rex took cover and began reloading his Mossberg.

Mark heard something streaked across the air outside, along with expanding gases. The front windows exploded, blasting in a concussion into the Pokémon Center. Splintered wood and glass flied across the lobby. Mark's eardrums caved inward. He went down the floor and grabbed his head. Smoke was everywhere, he could barely breathe. He could hear Rex and Agent Jenny coughing, he even could hear Rex call out his name. Mark rolled on his back and asked, "Are you okay?"

Rex picked up his shotgun and blinked. "I'm okay."

"I'm fine," said Agent Jenny. "Bastards have explosives now?"

Mark climbed up to his knees and turned around. Agent Jenny struggled to get up. He lend out a hand, Jenny took it and hoisted herself up.

Tesla was crouched behind the couch, his MP5 pointed straight up at the air with one hand. He said, "RPGs, they don't have many but I don't know how many rockets they have."

Mark stuck his head up and saw gaping maws through the wall. Bits of wood and glass lined the rim of the holes like teeth, like the mouth of a huge monster. PRA conscripts were starting to come through them. One mole-like Pokémon jumped up and grabbed the edge. Its hand caught the glass shards he placed earlier. The Pokémon screamed, pulling its bloody hand away and stumbled back.

The PRA began taking position outside the Pokémon Center. They brought in whatever cover they could find. Toppled mail boxes and news-stands were pushed into place just meters from the entrance. Guns and crossbows drew over them, firing in unison. Everyone ducked. Most of the rounds and bolts struck the barricade. A few went over, striking the back wall.

"They're getting desperate," said Tesla. "We must have gotten half their force!"

Rex and Agent Jenny readied their weapons, then everyone grouped into a circle. "On three," said Mark. "One, two, three!"

Everyone stood up and unleashed suppressing fire at the PRA's crude barricade. The slug rounds and Jenny's 7.62mm rounds shot clean through the thin sheets of metal. Blood splashed out from behind, followed by screams and cries for mercy. Tesla's rounds couldn't penetrate the metal, but he took out any Pokémon that stuck a limb or head up and around the barricade.

The conscripts stopped coming, for now. Mark scanned the lobby floor. Bodies of mutilated Pokémon littered the floor. Some were still holding onto their weapons, some were even still twitching. They eerily reminded Mark of pictures of poached Pokémon he once saw back at Dixie. The gore in those pictures look just like the scene before him. Gruesome, merciless.

He took a deep breath and said, "That's just the first wave, get ready for the second!"

**. . .**

The PRA hanged around the yard of the Pokémon Center. They could see the bodies of fallen conscripts inside the lobby. It was enough to dissuade anymore from coming in. Infuriated, Nobark scooped up his AK-47 and marched back down to the street. Tendon stayed where she was, she wasn't needed, yet.

He walked past his soldiers and walked up to the blown out window and peaked inside. He couldn't see anything, it was too dark inside to see. Nobark looped around to the front and stopped just at the front entrance. He chambered a round before calling out into the darkness. "This is the Pokéman Resistance Army! We have you surrounded! Drop your weapons, and come out with your hands on your head!"

He signaled his troops to get into position. They suppressed their fears and obeyed, some were even confident they might take the Pokémon Center with a second try.

**. . .**

"Pokéman?" Mark whispered. "What dialect is that?"

"Country Faradian, city boy," whispered Tesla. "Definitely Nobark, but it doesn't sound like him."

"But is it him?" Rex whispered.

Tesla nodded. "It's him alright, we've driven him out. But we need to go a step further."

Everyone sat silent and waited half a minute, Nobark called out again. "Repeat, this is the Pokéman Resistance Army! Either come out unarmed or we'll burn you out!"

Tesla stood up on the barricade and called to him. "It's Poké_mon, _not Poké_man. _You dumbsh*t!"

**. . .**

Nobark stood there in a boiling rage. _How dare he, _he thought. He took a deep breath and screamed into the lobby. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"

He stuck out his AK-47 and depressed the trigger, unleashing a wave of lead into the building.

**. . .**

Bullets came ripping through the barricade like butter. Foam, wood, and paper pulp sprayed everywhere. The air smelled like burnt plastic, Mark saw fire coming through the barricade instead of lead.

Everyone scrambled away from the barricade and took cover behind the concrete walls. Tesla stumbled off the barricade and fell to the floor. Just when he scrambled back to his feet, a round caught him in the right bicep. He let out a scream as the round tore through his arm and lodged itself into the back barricade behind him.

"Tesla's hit!" Mark cried.

When the wave of bullets ceased, Rex grabbed Tesla and pulled him out of the danger zone. He turned him around and propped him up. "Tesla, are you with me!?"

"I'm still alive," he blurted.

Mark quickly dashed to the other side of the room and joined Rex and Tesla. "Where is he hit?" he asked.

Rex pulled out a pen light and shined it on Tesla's wound. The bullet went clean through his arm, it was so clean that Mark could see through it. Dark blood was dripping out, it looks like a vein was hit.

"How does it feel?" Mark asked.

Tesla said, "It feels numb, yet it feels worse than a .22." He chuckled and said, "Well at least that got him going."

Agent Jenny made a quick inspection of the barricade and said, "Those rounds tore through the barricade like paper."

"Armor piercing rounds," said Tesla. "High penetration power. If they weren't, Nobark could've shot my arm off."

Outside, Nobark called out into his troops in Pokémon speech. Agent Jenny got back into position. Mark turned to Rex and asked, "Put a temporary fix on that, we have no time to stitch it up!"

Rex shot a look at him. "I know what I'm doing, I've been patching wounds up since I was fourteen damn it!"

**. . .**

The gunshot hurts more than any injury any Pokémon could withstand from conventional moves. Tesla bit down his teeth as Rex grabbed the medical bag at the corner. It was made out of an orange reflective nylon, the blue star of life was emblazoned on its cover. Tesla watched as Rex opened it up, the young Pokémon Doctor pulled out two tampons, a roll of gauze, and a bottle of antiseptic. He said, "I'm going to pour a saline solution on the wound, can you handle it?"

Tesla said, "I'm not screaming my head off from the gunshot, I can handle it."

Rex opened up the bottle and doused the wound with the saline solution. The antiseptic stung a little, but Tesla managed to handle it. Rex screwed the bottle back on and stuck it back into the medical bag.

"Thirty seconds, Rex," said Mark. "They're remobilizing!"

Rex opened both tampons and jammed them into the wound, he then grabbed the gauze roll and wrapped it all up. Once the whole wound was wrapped, Rex cut off the excess and sealed it in place with temporary medical tape. "Can you move your fingers?" Rex asked.

Tesla squeezed his fist, thankfully the bullet had missed his nerve. He wasn't sure what he could do with a paralyzed arm. "Yeah, I can move it."

Rex gently pushed the old Pikachu back up. Tesla grabbed his MP5 and ripped out the dual mag, then clicked in a fresh one. Rex packed everything back into the medical bag and dropped it behind the back barricade. He grabbed his shotgun, loaded in fresh shells, then returned to the front barricade.

**. . .**

The PRA let out a defying battlecry before charging into the Pokémon Center. Nobark flanked around the side and picked out a window he thought the defenders were in. He pointed his AK-47 at the plywood and planks and let loose another spray of lead.

**. . .**

Everyone hit the floor as bullets whipped over their heads, milliseconds later they settled around waist level. Glass and splinters explode from the window as Nobark's Kalashnikov tore up their window barricade. Multiple small and medium-sized Pokémon screamed inside the lobby. Mark rolled on his back just in time to see a Patrat suck its head over the couch. Its eyes were bloodshot, crazed with radical ideology and mental illness. The Scout Pokémon aimed a crossbow at his chest, its finger ready to fire. Mark reached up and yanked the crossbow out of its hand. The bolt fired, embedding itself into the floor just centimeters away. The Patrat toppled over and fell to the floor. Mark whipped out his knife. He didn't hesitate when he plunged the blade into the back of the Patrat's head. The Scout Pokémon went limp instantaneously. Nobark's gun soon went quiet, for now.

Another Pokémon came over the barricade, this one a Pansage. It came up with a knife of its own. Mark dislodged his from the downed Patrat and slashed it across the Grass Monkey's forehead. A curtain of blood enveloped his face and eyes. The creature screamed, blindly slashing its rusty blade in the air. Mark swung the knife back, this time lodging it into the Pansage's carotid artery. Blood rushed out in a torrent from the wound. The Pansage lost breath and collapsed from sudden loss of blood pressure.

Rex came up and rapid-fire his shotgun over the barricade. Mark looked out into the lobby and was horrified to see almost two dozen faces screaming at him. He reached down for his shotgun. Nobark's AK started up again, this time firing through the window of the back barricade. Fire and lead ringed behind him, smoke started clouding the air. Mark got his shotgun up in time for another Patrat to jump over the barricade. He blasted a slug through the Patrat's chest. The Scout Pokémon shot back as Mark got sprayed by its own blood.

"We're getting overrunned!" Rex cried.

A Tepig hobbled into through the center of the PRA crowd, Mark watched as it leaped up in the air, sucking in a fiery breath.

It fired.

Mark dove for cover and squeezed his eyes shut.

The ceiling lights clicked on above him, everything glowed purple. Ozone and smoke flowed around him. Mark coughed, disoriented. He wasn't sure what just happened, either he was being killed or he was already in the Aether.

He opened his eyes to see Tesla standing on the couch. The old Pikachu was on all fours, his back arched toward the air. His whole body glowed bright purple plasma. Electricity flowed from him to power an electric force-field surrounding him and his friends. Mark got up and saw the Tepig's flamethrower get deflected, blanketing the portion of the force-field. The fire quickly ceased to reveal bewildered Pokémon. Some were still firing their guns and crossbows at the field, others just stood there and gawk, the rest tried to use conventional Pokémon moves like Hi-Jump Kick, Slash, and Pound. The force-field held. Not only did it knock back the Pokémon, it also electrocuted them, sending any who made contact with the field flying across the room and crashing into the walls.

"Hot damn," said Agent Jenny, her face lit up with amazement. "I've never seen anything like it."

Tesla screamed under strain. "The Counter Shield will supercharge the punch of your ammo as you fire through it! Quick, drive them back! I can't hold this shield up forever!"

**. . .**

The lightbulb in the middle of the attic suddenly clicked on. Smugleaf wasn't sure what that meant. She had been sitting in darkness for over an hour, hearing nothing but muffled gunshots through the thick concrete walls. She sat with everyone in the center of the attic, their backs resting against heavy boxes and crates. The retractable staircase was removed from the attic door and set aside. A wooden plank was nailed over the door for good measure.

The humans sat on one side of the attic while the Pokémon sat in the other. Save for Ash's Pikachu, and Iris's Axew, who sat in the laps of their respective trainers. They were all whispering to each other. Wondering who was winning, who was hurt, and how bad things really were. None of the Pokémon said a word. Woody was silent. Wotter was still incapacitated. Mark's Pokémon were hugging each other for dear life. Pinki and her fellow Audinos huddle around their own spot. They too were silent.

Smugleaf thought back at her past leading up to this moment. Most of her fifteen years seemed to be wasted. Whatever prestige and reputation she had was gone, if not changed. Her friends were down below, trying viciously to take the Pokémon Center. What were they going to do when they come up into the attic and see her? What was Nobark going to do? Will he shoot her like all the other "traitors" he shot? Was Nobark even still Nobark at all?

_No, _Smugleaf thought. _He's not._

She heard the soft screams of Pokémon from below. They were screaming for mercy, or calling for retreat. Several distinctive shotgun blast boomed with rhythm, followed by a military rifle of some kind. The light bulb above flickered every few seconds, endanger of going out. Smugleaf took the opportunity and spoke. "Fifteen years ago, things were different. The PRA weren't like the savages they are today."

The humans and Pokémon turned their attention to her but said nothing. Smugleaf continued, "We had plenty of food, plenty of friends. We took part in all sorts of fun activities. We even fired our weapons at target for fun. Life was good back then, as Nobark was more stable."

"How did they handle people back then?" Cilan asked.

Smugleaf shrugged. "Not directly. A few crazed Pokémon would come into Soho and set up bombs, then made it back to Fort Wernher before they blow. Most of the Pokémon had little to no human contact. Those humans who we do meet were stragglers with curiosity. They would roam the forest in searching for another way into Fort Wernher. The Swoobats," Smugleaf gestured at Swoo I and Swoo IV. "These Swoobats more specifically, would give us early warning. All we need to do is fire a warning shot, then we sit back and watch as they run for the hills."

"Any trainers who try to battle you guys?" Ash asked.

Smugleaf turned to him. "Yes, a few. Usually one every six months. Practically you and your friends were the most recent trainers the PRA had to deal with, and you know what happens during an encounter."

"What happens to the trainers and Pokémon afterward?" Iris asked.

"I won't say," said Smugleaf. "All I can say is that I handle locking them up in the respective jails. Wotter handles the humans, I handle the Pokémon. Nobark decides what to do with them in the end."

The attic went silent. The light bulb above flickered madly for a few seconds, then stayed on.

"You guys were lucky," said Smugleaf. "Your association with Tesla and Mark practically guaranteed your safety, without him-"

Smugleaf was interrupted as the light bulb went dark, she held her breath and listened. The gunfire had quieted down, or so it seemed.

**. . .**

Tesla made a sigh of relief as he slumped onto the charred couch. The last of the conscripts scrambled out the busted windows and doors as Mark, Rex, and Agent Jenny drove them off. His heart was pounding, his energy drained. He placed a hand on his bandaged gunshot wound. It felt wet, completely soaked with blood. Tesla turned back to the door and dried to stay focused. It was getting harder for him to concentrate. The stress of war and the gunshot was taking its toll. Tesla laid down on his back, just to rest for a moment.

Two hands grabbed him by the waist and pulled him back up. "Here," said Rex. "Take this."

Tesla held out his hand and Rex placed a blue capsule in it. "This is a beta blocker," he said. "It will reduce your panic and stress levels."

The old Pikachu popped it into his mouth, conger up whatever saliva he could, and swallowed it down. "Thank you," he said. "I needed that."

"Are you okay, Tesla?" Mark asked.

Tesla barked, "No, I'm not okay. I've got shot and I might be slipping to shock, I-"

Rex clapped a hand over his mouth. Tesla blinked and struggled, "Save it for Nobark, Tesla," said Rex. "We don't have the time for antics."

Tesla pushed his hand away and stood up, he stretched his legs and licked his lips. His mouth was parched, barely any saliva left. "I need water," he said.

As Rex went to get some water, Tesla turned back to the lobby. Bodies littered the floor. Both bi-pedal and quadruped Pokémon corpses clustered around the door and windows. They were unrecognizable, reduced to chunks of fur and red meat by high-caliber weapons. It was hard to believe that he helped these Pokémon just days before, only for them to turn against him. Tesla picked up his MP5 and pointed it at the door, Rex returned and handed him a bottle of water. "Here you go, Tes."

Without taking his eyes off the door, Tesla drank a quarter of the bottle and handed it back to Rex. The old Pikachu still had some fight left in him to keep going.

**. . .**

The box truck of reinforcements soon arrived. Nobark was just about to get worried, he was running out of soldiers to assault the Pokémon Center. He was also running out of ammo for his gun. Nobark had packed some ammo in the pickup truck and the moving van, but he didn't have the incentive to go out and retrieve them. He went back to the roof of the store and rejoined Tendon. She was kneeled over the edge, aiming her scoped Remington toward the Pokémon Center door. _"Smart move spraying that barricade with your gun, Nobark," _said Tendon. _"It gave our troops an edge."_

Nobark let out a light-hearted chuckle. _"Only for Tesla to use Counter Shield against it," _he sat down his gun and slumped onto his butt. _"Oh what an afternoon."_

_ "I'll say," _said Tendon. _"A messenger just came by earlier, we have taken City Hall and are now assaulting the Soho Port. We're winning this battle."_

Nobark noticed the change of direction of gunfire. Most of it was east toward the sea, a few shots were going off everywhere in smaller skirmishes. That was reassuring, however he himself was doing poorly in handling this battle. He looked out toward the Pokémon Center and saw the moving van pulled up on its parking lot. The cargo bay door slid up and fresh troops poured out. Among them was Cabot's Emolga, holding the bulky nightmare of wires and steel. He was clearly not comfortable carrying the Tesla Cannon. It was too heavy for his arms and back, Emolga panted as he struggled to heave the superweapon up to a firing position. Tendon shook her head, saying, _"He's going to do poorly, Nobark. He's has no experience with that gun."_

Nobark got up and said, _"Then we'll diverge part of our main force and send them here. Let's get a runner ready and tell them, I think it might be our only way to deal with Tesla."_

_ "Your call, just make sure our friends aren't stuck in the cross-fire," _Tendon pointed to the roof of the Pokémon Center. _"Smugleaf, Wotter, and Woody should be in the attic with the others. I don't care what happens to Tesla, but we need our friends up there alive. We don't have enough PRA warlords to keep the entire force organized."_

Nobark nodded. _"Good call, I almost forgot about them."_

Technically he hadn't, his thoughts trailed off wondering if his "friends" had changed sides. He would give mercy to the Swoobats, as they were intimidated by Tesla to begin with. Wotter had no say in this, as he wasn't functioning right now, and Woody was simply doing as he was told, since Tesla had control over him. It was Smugleaf that concerned Nobark. She might have sided with Tesla to incapacitate Wotter, then later freed all the prisoners. She was a traitor, a deceptive serpent. How in the word did Nobark managed to trust her in all these years with anything?

_Tesla's fault, _he concluded. _It was Tesla's fault._

Yes, it was. It was all Tesla's fault.

And he would soon pay.

**TO BE CONTINUED. . .**


	47. Chapter 47

_Chapter 47_

Emolga heaved the heavy machinery with all his might. His muscles were tearing, hovering near exhaustion. The Sky Squirrel had spent nearly an hour inside of a hot vehicle. He felt relieved when the back door opened up and the cooling air rushing in helped him recover a bit of stamina. It was soon gone the moment he jumped out and jogged toward the Pokémon Center. The strange cables that were stuck to his cheeks were irritating his face, his back aching from the Tesla cannon's transformer pack. Nobark simply told him to aim and squeeze the trigger. No technical knowledge required. _Yeah right, _Emolga thought. _I don't even know what a 'transformer' means._

When he reached the front entrance, Emolga froze. Before him were bodies upon bodies of Pokémon. He knew these Pokémon, Emolga had slept and ate with them for the past few weeks. He knew their name, their face, what they like and what they don't like. They were good Pokémon. Now they lay bleeding on the floor. Their bodies disfigured, mutilated by humankind.

His other comrades saw the carnage themselves. They stood around him, gasping at the horror inside. Emolga was sure that this was half of all the Pokémon in Fort Wernher. Just who would do such a thing?

He got his answer when he saw Tesla pop over the couch. His yellow fur was covered with soot, blood coated his arm and side. The old Pikachu gave Emolga that look he had gave him when they first met in Vegas City. Those eyes . . . were full of terror.

The adrenaline rushed through Emolga's system a split second later. Before he knew it, he hoisted up the Tesla Cannon and squeezed the trigger. Bright yellow electricity flashed all over the place. They arched through the air and ground themselves into whatever they could find. The walls, the broken furniture, the corpses. Everything was electrified instantaneously. Another split second passed and a ball of yellow electricity shot out. The ball charged toward the barricade. Tesla jumped back and vanished. The electric ball smashed into the barricade and blown it to pieces. Emolga's jaw dropped. He glanced at the gun, then back at the barricade. Tears were flushing through his eyes. _What have I done?_

His comrades around him took the initiative and lifted their weapons. When the dust cleared, Emolga could see another larger barricade erected behind the first one. People were scrambling behind it, he could even see Tesla's ears poking out from the top. One of the human figures stopped and turned toward him. Emolga panicked and fired the Tesla Cannon again. No ball of electricity this time, just wild sparks grounding into places at random. Emolga's cheeks burned, his muscles growing weaker by the second. The weapon was draining him, he couldn't sustain it. Emolga released the trigger, the flashing display ceased immediately.

The Simisage to his left went down first, a bullet crashing through its face and exploding out the back of his head. Then the Meowth, it caught a bullet through its eye and went down. Panic shot through Emolga, he stumbled back and toppled over.

A bullet skimmed across his side. He felt the burn as it ripped up his fur. Emolga grabbed the wound, his hands were quickly soaked with blood, his blood.

Before he could call out for help, massive pain shot out from his chest and up through his left arm. Emolga dropped the Tesla Cannon and grabbed his shoulder and held on. He felt nauseous and dizzy, the world was becoming cloudy. Emolga tried to breathe but air wasn't getting through his lungs. Everything felt like it was on fire, yet it wasn't hot.

The Sky Squirrel's vision went dark and Emolga passed out, diving straight down into the abyss.

**. . .**

"Got him," said Agent Jenny as she lowered her weapon.

Tesla shook his head, saying, "Bastard used my gun, did a piss-pour job too."

Rex climbed over the back barricade and inspect what was left of the front. What was left was a pulverized crater that reeked of burnt plastic and soot. Ozone stung his nose, Rex covered his face with a handkerchief as he stepped over the carnage. Agent Jenny advanced into the lobby and checked the front yard for more tangos. She stuck up her thumb, signaling it was safe.

Tesla crawled up to the Emolga and checked its pulse. "Got nothing," he said. "The Emolga's dead."

Mark crouched and checked the Emolga's face. His face dropped, he took the Emolga's hand and held it up. "He looks kinda like my Emolga, do you know him, Tes?"

"Yes," said Tesla. "He was scared of me when we first met in Vegas City, he didn't understood me until the PRA killed his trainer and sucked him in."

"Do you know who killed his trainer?"

Tesla nodded. "Yes, but that's classified."

Mark simply glared at him, Tesla shrugged. "To be fair, he panicked. He didn't mean to shoot us. Look, the gunshot wound simply grazed him. He went down because his little heart couldn't take it."

Rex gasped. "And we were shooting Pokémon like him?"

"Yes and no, you might as well toss dice to predict what kind of personality a PRA conscript has. I'm not worrying about that until Nobark himself is down."

Tesla began salvaging his superweapon off of the Emolga's corpse. Mark reached out to help him but Tesla shooed him away. He detached the electrodes off the Emolga's cheeks, revealing blistered burn spots where they were placed.

"Damn," said Mark.

"Damn right," said Tesla. "The Tesla Cannon's transformer would reign havoc with a weak electric-type's health. It is calibrated for my system and no one else. Give me a minute and let me power this thing back up."

Rex couldn't believe his eyes. The Tesla Cannon itself. The mythical WMD was a reality, and he was watching the sole-owner reclaiming his lost tool. Rex stepped back and watched as Tesla attached the electrodes to his cheeks, then adjusted the straps of the transformer pack. He held up the gun, flipped a few switches, then hit the ON button.

The ceiling lights crackled with light as the Tesla Cannon buzz with a sick disorienting sound. Tesla's body lit up momentarily with purple light. He smiled, revealing rotten teeth and bloody gums. _"Pikachu!" _he chirped. "Damn, that's strong!"

"Feeling alright, Tesla?" Mark asked.

"I feel twenty years younger," Tesla let out a short chuckle. "That makes me eighty-seven!"

Rex and Mark couldn't help but burst out laughing, despite all the death and carnage around them. At least Tesla still had a good sense of humor.

Outside, more Pokémon were advancing. Rex could hear their battlecries growing steadily louder. Mark loaded his shotgun and cocked it. "Here they come, guys. Get ready!"

"Don't bother," said Tesla. "Leave them to me, y'all going to get a glimpse of my true power."

**. . .**

The lightbulb came on a second time, Smugleaf jumped as its light nearly blinded her. She blinked and managed to make out the other occupants in the room. Smugleaf squinted and spotted Swoo I and IV in the far corner. Pinki wore a headlamp as she latched a brace on Swoo IV's broken wing. Swoo I stood nearby, watching feverishly as he murmured to himself.

Smugleaf glanced at the others. The humans were tending to themselves, the other Pokémon were staying quiet, keeping to themselves as well. Smugleaf got up and walked over to Pinki and whispered, _"How is she doing?"_

_ "She's holding up this far," _said Pinki. _"I'm unnerved that Tendon did a good job at mending this broken wing, even though she didn't put a brace on it."_

_ "We didn't have a brace."_

Pinki nodded. _"So the PRA were on hard times, that's a given." _

The Audino screwed the brace in place and turned to Swoo I. _"Make sure she doesn't move that wing at all, if it refractures she'll have to start the healing process all over again."_

Swoo I nodded. _"Okay."_

Swoo IV asked, _"Will I ever fly again, doc?"_

Pinki nodded. _"The bone isn't pulverized, you will surely fly again. It may take a year or two, maybe a few months. As long as you get enough nutrition and keep that wing in a fixed position, you should be okay."_

The Hearing Pokémon then turned toward Smugleaf. She gently grabbed the Snivy's broken arm and held it up to the light of her headlamp. _"Tendon's work again?"_

_ "Yes," _said Smugleaf. _"Just two day's older than Swoo IV's break."_

_ "What happened?"_

_ "Tesla threw me into a wall."_

Pinki's eyes went big. _"What, why?"_

Smugleaf shrugged. _"I did something bad."_

_ "What did you do?"_

Smugleaf said nothing.

_"Was it that bad?"_

Smugleaf said, _"My own crimes line up similar to Tendon's, but worse. Please, I don't want to make more enemies."_

Pinki said, _"Sit down, I don't hold grudges," _she inspected the arm for a few seconds. _"Your arm is braced."_

_ "One of a few braces that fits my size, we just don't have ones for wings though."_

_ "May I check to see if everything's alright?"_

Smugleaf said, _"Tendon put a special putty around the actual break. When it hardens it will be stronger than bone and I can use my arm without the brace. For Swoo IV's case, she would have to wait for a while until she starts flying again."_

_ "I didn't know Tendon put special putty around the break," _said Swoo IV.

Pinki said, _"She didn't tell you because it doesn't give flying-types a carte blanche to fly again, standard procedure."_

_ "Oh."_

Pinki began inspecting the arm, Smugleaf bit down on her teeth as the Audino removed the brace and unwrapped the bandages. Underneath were stitched incisions Tendon had made to gain access to the fracture. They were stained with dried blood and puss.

_"It looks awful," _said Pinki. _"Same case as Swoo IV, apparently Tendon didn't have antibiotics."_

_ "All she had was homemade penicillin," _said Smugleaf. _"She did disinfect the area before she performed the surgery though."_

Pinki reached over and grabbed her medical bag. It was green with the blue Star of Life embroidered to its cover. She unzipped it and pulled out a saline solution along with some cotton balls and a vial of antibiotics. Pinki sprayed the stitches with the saline solution, then cleaned off the blood and puss. It was gross to watch, but Smugleaf was used to it. A part of her actually _wanted _to watch, maybe it was because of the purifying qualities of the action. She wasn't sure, all she knew was it was being taken care of.

Pinki stuck the used cotton balls into a biohazard bag, then picked up a sterile syringe from her medical bag. _"This might sting, so hold still." _

She drew a full 10mL of antibiotics from the vial, Pinki then repeatedly stabbed it around the stitches and injected just a milliliter each. Smugleaf squeezed her eyes shut, her stitches were beginning to itch and each puncture hurt. She gained relief when Pinki closed up the syringe and picked up a roll of gauze, the Audino rewrapped the wound and taped it shut. _"There," _she said as she attached the brace back on. _"All done."_

Smugleaf flexed her hand and held it close to her chest. _"Thank you," _she said. _"I don't know what else to say."_

Pinki turned off her headlamp, she pulled it off and packed everything back into her medical bag. _"Tell me, please. Was Tendon nice to you?"_

_ "In her own way, yes. We had a lot in common, but she's has quite a negative attitude most of the time."_

_ "Tesla said she charges for her services."_

Smugleaf nodded. _"You don't wanna go into the politics of that."_

_ "Was she that corrupt?"_

_ "Judging by the fact that she successfully fix my arm while being half-drunk, I know for sure she was _that _corrupt."_

_ "You've paid her?"_

Smugleaf said nothing.

_"Tesla told me how."_

_ "Exactly."_

Pinki blinked. _"Wow, I always thought she was picky."_

_ "She isn't," _said Smugleaf. _"Either she cares or she don't, that's how she works."_

The Audino turned away. _"Tesla filled me on a few things, but didn't say why he broke your arm."_

_ "He figures I rather tell you than anyone else, I have enough problems already."_

Pinki scooped up her medical bag and hosted it onto her back. Smugleaf suddenly realized something and asked, _"Pinki?"_

Pinki turned toward her. _"Yes?"_

_ "Do you have a grudge on Tendon, any feelings at all?"_

The Hearing Pokémon stared at her for a moment. _"No, not really. I'm just upset that she killed my sister, I just don't have the heart to hate her, or hate anyone for that matter. I just want to put the thought behind me and move on."_

Smugleaf held up a finger. _"Right there, that's why she did it."_

_ "What?"_

_ "The reason why she killed your sister was she wanted relief, she would talk non-stop about her and her past job countless times. The work, the culture, the stress, she hated it all. She hated your sister because she exaggerated her stress, and so she snapped."_

Pinki said, _"Well, yes. I know that, but what does this have to do with anything?"_

Smugleaf said, _"The fact is she wanted out, she wanted to resign. Do you have those same feelings as well? Do you, your sister, or your friends feel the same way?"_

Pinki blinked. _"I hadn't consider it. I mean, I never gave much thought about it, I was worried about what goes on in Soho. I was fearing for my life."_

_ "Do you want out of Soho, out of here?"_

Pinki blinked again, then raised her voice. _"No, I can't. I have friends here!"_

Smugleaf looked over her shoulder to see if anyone overheard Pinki, she saw no one looking at her. She turned back to the Audino and said, _"I have friends in the PRA, and most of them are probably dead now. They're probably laying all over the floor of the lobby right now." _Then she added, _"Don't tell me you haven't heard them scream."_

Pinki gulped, she simply turn away and hobbled back toward her Audino co-workers. Suddenly she stopped, spun around on her heels and said, _"I don't wanna think about it, I don't wanna think about it! I don't wanna know what's waiting for me downstairs, in fact I don't wanna think about it at all!"_

_ "You're in denial," _said Smugleaf.

Before Pinki could have a chance to banter, a spark blasted out of the lone CFL lightbulb and ground itself into the floor. The bulb flickered madly, then popped, belching out a puff of ozone as it went black.

_"What's going on," _Cilan asked. _"Is that a power surge?"_

They got their answer when a loud roar buzzed through the building. Everyone's hair started hovering through the air, Smugleaf felt a prickling sensation in her hands. She reached out and touched the wall. A static spark shot out the wall and pinched her hand. She pulled it away and said in human speech. "Nobody move, everything's live!"

**. . .**

Mark stood back as Tesla charged up his superweapon. The look on his face was priceless, the Pikachu had clearly never felt this good in years, maybe decades. Rex and Agent Jenny stood back, their hairs were starting to reach toward the sky. The air was ionized by the weapon, acting like a static generator. Mark's wrist PDA started beeping. He looked at the screen and saw that it had 5% power left. Mark blinked, he had just charged it last night. When Tesla revved his gun to calibrated, the battery level dropped to four percent, then three.

"Tesla," said Mark. "You're draining all the batteries around you!"

"Sorry," Tesla called out. He flipped a switch, the buzzing ceased and the lights went dark again. "The device can suck electricity out from any electrical source. The power runs through the capacitor where it builds up a charge, then shoots through the transformer to create a powerful plasma beam. The Emolga could only access the weapon's secondary and tertiary modes, but only I can make the weapon work."

"How many volts can that thing unleash?" Agent Jenny asked.

"Three million."

Agent Jenny whistled. "Strong as lightning?"

"Yeah, but with twice the amperage."

Mark jogged to the broken window and peaked out. He could see some bi-pedal and quadruped Pokémon jogging down the road. Their weapons cocked and loaded. "Get ready, everyone," said Mark. "Here comes the third wave."

Tesla held up the gun with one hand and stepped out of the Pokémon Center, an electric force field enveloped him. Purple electricity sparked madly all over his body as Tesla charged up the Tesla Cannon. Mark placed a hand on Rex's shoulder, whispering into his ear. "We better take cover, this WMD may be worse than we've thought."

Rex nodded but said nothing, he and Mark quickly got back behind the second barricade. Agent Jenny noticed them taking cover, she backed away from the lobby and joined them. "What's going to happen?" she asked.

Rex said, "I have no idea."

**. . .**

_"Oh boy," _said Tendon. _"There he is, and look what he has."_

Nobark watched Tesla stepped out of the Pokémon Center, his cannon powering up. The Scrafty had seen the weapon fired before, he knew what to expect. There was going to be mass destruction with ash falling from the sky. Nobark knew what this meant, the PRA wasn't going to win the battle. He had given Tesla his Ace in the Hole and now he was using it.

Nobark turned to Tendon and said, _"I'm going to round up our best soldiers, then confront him directly. You do what you have to do, Tendon."_

Tendon nodded. _"It's been a pleasure serving under your command, Nobark."_

Nobark and Tendon hugged each other and kissed, held it for a moment, then released. He then picked up his AK-47 and started down the stairs, Tendon called for him. _"Nobark?"_

The Hoodlum Pokémon turned around. _"Yes, Tendon?"_

_ "Even if we lost the battle, will we still win the war?"_

Nobark thought for a moment. _"In the case of Soho, yes, we have. This town might never come back."_

**. . .**

_This town might never come back, _Nobark's words echoed inside Tendon's head as the Scrafty himself continued down the stairs. Nobark was soon gone and she was alone. Tendon turned back toward the street at Tesla, he was already aiming his superweapon. The Audino would take a shot at him if he hadn't cloaked himself with a force field. Such a coward, and yet, such a genius. A single slug would blow his tiny fragile body to smithereens.

Tendon slung her shotgun around her back and stepped down from the roof. A sharp smell struck her nostrils when she reached the bottom. Curiously, she traced the smell to its source. It led to a public restroom. She pushed the door to the women's restroom open and found sewage was belching out of the drain pipe. The toilets were overflowing, bubbling up toxic waste and liquefied fecal matter. She backed away, the smell was worse than Fort Wernher's conscript barracks. Tendon checked the men's room as well, same story. The urinals were also overflowing with waste, they were pouring out sewage like a waterfall.

The Hearing Pokémon watched the sewage quickly creeping toward her, she closed the restroom door and stepped out the back alley of the store. The sound of war was quieter, yet the alley amplified the sounds in a ghostly tone. Tendon scanned the alley and found a garden hose rolled up against the wall. She walked up to it and twisted the faucet on. A trickle of water spewed out, then hissing air. The water supply was cut. Tendon stepped back inside and searched for the switch to the back alley lamp. She found it and flipped it on, then checked the lamp. The light bulb remained dark.

Power was down, water lines were cut. What about gas?

She found the gas meter to the building just by the hose. Tendon checked the meters, they were spinning rapidly backwards. The PRA must have ruptured gas lines somewhere within the city, which could be causing several fires.

That gave her an idea.

Tendon backed away from the gas meter, she stepped far enough away before drawing her shotgun. She crotched and centered the scope's crosshairs on the meter. She held her breath and fired.

The heavy slug smashed dead center against the meter's valve. The main exploded into flames. Fire shot out and engulfed the wall and nearby trash cans. The heat forced Tendon to back off, she watched as smoke belched toward the sky as the gas main sprayed fire against the building like a military flamethrower. Within minutes, that fire would engulf the connecting stores in the entire block. It will soon spread to other parts of the district. That would serve as a good distraction.

Tendon walked down the alleyway as the fire grows into an inferno. Nothing matters now but her former co-worker and that mutant Oshawott. She would wait for as long as she possibly can for that moment to strike. Patience was one lesson medical school had taught her. Today, it would prove invaluable.

**. . .**

Tesla never felt so alive. He had missed handling the old cannon, the sleek feel of electricity flowing back into his system made him more focused and alert. Tesla recalled the first day when he first received the weapon. Team Rocket had designed a similar weapon, but instead of an electric-type for a power source it was a Lithium ion battery back. The battery was too big to be carried, but the experimental weapon worked like a charm. Irvin managed to retrieve the blueprints from the engineers and handed them to the Faraday's Department of Defense. There, fueled by Faraday's taxpayer's dollars and charity donations, scientists constructed a weapon more powerful and efficient. When Tesla first tried it out, he was reluctant. The weapon would drain his energy reserves, how much, scientists didn't know. Irvin had a generator and a defib unit on hand to reassure him that he wouldn't be harmed.

The first time he squeezed that trigger was unforgettable. The powerful ion plasma beam firing out, slicing through all forms of matter. Vaporizing anything it comes into contact with. The power felt good, it was so good that Tesla held down the trigger a little too long and drained almost all of his energy reserves. He quickly fell ill, nauseous. Irvin revved the generator but he had him wait a moment. Tesla simply flipped the thing into reverse and pound it into the ground, any electrical source nearby was absorbed through the Tesla coil and stored straight into his body. A lot of testing equipment was damaged in the process, including the local power grid.

Despite the foibles, the weapon test was declared a success. Sadly, Tesla had to give up the weapon. It was a bit upsetting, since the scientists later found out that when other electric-types used the superweapon, they got piss-pour results, along with some casualties. The project was soon scrapped and funding was slashed.

Irvin, however, had other plans. Using his computer hacking skills, he managed to download the Tesla Cannon blueprints, printed them out, and took them _back_ to Team Rocket Headquarters where they developed a _second _replica of the superweapon. It fired and worked just like the government funded one. Tesla liked it even more, as it was installed with other options. Such as being used as a cutting drill, detonate an EMP, fire energy balls, etc. He could not only recharge his system but recharge any other electric-type around him. Best of all, Irvin managed to seal the Tesla Cannon in a crate and took it back home. It sat under the couch at home for years until Irvin's death.

Why Nobark took the weapon with him to Unova was anyone's guess. Now it was back in Tesla's hands, and this time it was being used in the field.

He watched the PRA charged down the street. They wield crossbows, firearms, and conventional Pokémon weapons. Infernos and distant gunshots were going off around him. Someone had set off a blaze across the street. The entire town was being strangled to death, he wasn't sure how long it could hold out.

Tesla held up his weapon and trained it on the incoming conscripts. He didn't recognize them. None of them were Fort Wernher's soldiers. Nobark really did have an army elsewhere.

Well, he _had _an army elsewhere.

The PRA kept coming. A few were curious to see what he was holding, but they kept on coming. A few bolts and shots were fired in Tesla's direction. His forcefield shrugged them aside as if they were hailstones. When the conscripts got close enough where Tesla could see the whites in their eyes, he wrapped his fingers around the trigger and pulled it back.

A powerful beam of purple-neon plasma fired out at the speed of light. It bore through the cluster of Pokémon. The beam wasn't hindered, it cut through the tightly packed regiment and cut through cars and buildings below. Those caught in the beam were sliced in half, some with heavier mass exploded in gore and fire. Other electric-types were instantly overcharged, they combust into a fiery electrical display that blanketed a portion of the crowd. The flashes, along with the light from the beam. Blinded several conscripts, a few smart ones went prone as Tesla swept the beam across them. Bullets and bolts rained on him, but they couldn't even smudge his electric shield.

Tesla let go of the trigger and waited for the smoke to clear. What was left of the regiment was now dust or burnt body parts. The few Pokémon who had dove for cover were still moving. They were blinded, deafened, and were bleeding out of their noses and mouth. Just simply being near the beam had done tremendous damage, damage that would never heal. Tesla waited a full minute for any of the survivors to stand up. None did, they were down for the count.

Tesla turned around just in time to see Fort Wernher's own soldiers appearing out of the woodwork. The technical that had burned out the lobby showed itself again. It swerved around the corner, a new conscript mounting its flamethrower. Conscripts who were taking cover inside the stores and office buildings stuck their heads up, their weapons out and ready.

The Master of Electricity didn't give them any chance of a counterattack. He depressed the trigger again. The plasma beam shot out a second time. Tesla swept it across the stores, driving back any Pokémon insurgents left. He tacked the technical and it instantly exploded. The flamethrower's and pickup truck's fuel tanks combust and blanketed the occupants with liquid fire. The gunner in the back toppled over the side screaming, the driver threw its door open and tumbled out. Tesla watched it roll on the ground, putting out most of the flames. It nonetheless went still, unresponsive.

Sniper fire ricochet off the shield, Tesla followed the sound and found more soldiers on roofs and in top floor windows. Tesla drilled the cannon through the windows and carpeted the roofs, paused for a second for return fire, then fired at their sources.

Explosions rocked some roofs and RPGs flied out of the smoke. Tesla had no time to react, the RPGs crashed into his shield. The forcefield held off the concussion and shrapnel, but it jarred the ground underneath Tesla's feet. He fell on his rear, stunned by the blast. He quickly fought the shell shock and sweep the cannon over their sources. He paused and waited again for return fire, he received none.

Tesla felt exhausted and nauseous. As always the Tesla Cannon took its toll on his energy reserves. He causally walked back inside, his Counter Shield went down but he kept the superweapon on standby.

"Damn, Tesla," laughed Mark. "That was sick!"

Tesla smiled, "That was the first time this weapon was used in aggression. Damn, it felt like the day when I first tested it."

Rex quickly got out of the barricade and got to his knees. He grabbed Tesla's shoulders, then checked his pulse. "Tesla, are you alright?"

"Drained, that's the downside of this weapon. But don't worry about me yet, I-"

The distinct chamber sound of the AK-47 echoed behind him, along with a familiar voice. "Hold it right there, Tesla."

**. . .**

Rex looked up to see Nobark Westinghouse standing at the doorway. Surrounding him were large bi-pedal Pokémon, such as Drilbur and Krokorok. They were armed with their own assault rifles, all primed and ready to fire. Nobark waved the barrel of his AK and said, "Back away from him, human!"

Rex held up his hands and slowly backed away. He got back about a meter before an electric forcefield spawned before him. It split the Pokémon Center in two. Tesla stood on the other side with Nobark and his hostile PRA. Tesla turned around and aimed his cannon by the hip, his fingers just brushing against the trigger.

"Rex, get back here!" Mark barked.

Rex quickly hopped back behind the barricade and took cover. Mark handed him his shotgun, it was fully loaded with an extra shell in the chamber.

"Nobark," said Tesla. "I don't know if it's you or not, but you don't wanna do this."

Nobark aimed his assault rifle at Tesla's chest. "Shut it, Tes. I'm not putting up with your bullsh*t no more!"

"What bullsh*t, Nobark?"

"The crap you've treated me all these years, that bullsh*t!"

"Irvin's orders, Nobark. I don't have much of a choice, you know how it is."

Nobark struggled to steady the gun, his hands were shaking hard. "That it is, but that isn't what I'm talking about! I'm talking about the crap you've treated us all the time! You don't wanna hang out with us, you've never wanted to spend time together. You were always a loner. That hurt us more than you think!"

"I need some alone time once in a while!"

Nobark exploded. "Nobody takes an entire _month _to be alone!"

The argument continued in harsh Pokémon speech. Rex could see Nobark's troops were confused. Obviously they hadn't planned on a confrontation, they were expecting a shootout. Instead they got the explanation on why they were here. It wasn't about Soho or its people, it was Tesla and his ideals. Or was it Irvin and his ideals? Agent Jenny readied her M1 Garand, then whispered, "I've seen arguments like these before, and they always turn ugly in the end. Get ready to shoot."

"Tesla's in the way," whispered Mark. "And we don't know if our rounds can pass through our forcefield."

"Tesla said it can."

"That was a _different_ forcefield."

The language suddenly changed when Tesla said, "Nobark, I'm giving you a way out here. Lay down your arms and let your Pokémon here go. If not, I'll paint these walls red with your blood and guts of your Pokémon."

Nobark said, "That's harsh."

"The gun doesn't have a lower setting."

Nobark held his gun down, then spoke in a calmer voice. "These Pokémon don't have any families to go back to, Tesla. Their trainer either have abandoned them or have died. Team Rocket tortured them, humiliated them. There's nothing but abuse and mistreatment in the world."

Tesla said, "Don't you think I know that? I've been through Team Rocket's systems, been poached, my family taken away from me. Polly was taken away from me and I grieved from that. Irvin died and I grieved from that as well," he lowered his cannon and said, "But I persevered, I've moved on. I found relatives of mine and tried to restart a proper family, to put the past behind me. Then the next thing I knew you stepped in and ordered the assassination of my great-great granddaughter's trainer. I've picked up the trail, Nobark. And it led right up to you."

"I didn't commit it myself."

"I don't care who carried it out, it was you who made it happen. In fact _you _are responsible for driving Pokémon, both wild and captive, out of their homes and force them into the PRA. You've killed their trainers and family members and forced them into your fold. These Pokémon here knew those Pokémon, but had they gave it a second thought that what you've did contradicts your philosophy?"

Nobark's Pokémon lowered their arms. They blinked, they clearly hadn't thought of it. Nobark's hands were shaking harder, his gun becoming more unsteady.

Tesla continued, "The Pokémon Resistance Army's main goal is to provide equality to all Pokémon on the same level as humankind. Instead you've divided up your force. Made inferior troops and overpowered troops. Your politics divided them more than how humankind divided us. On top of that your continuous attacks gave Pokémon a bad rap to all mankind." Tesla stuck his thumb behind his back, "Interpol is now involved, Nobark. The game is up. You're not going to win this. In fact there's not even a consolation price. Even if the PRA wins the war, you will lose because your own body has turned against you."

Many things happened at once. Nobark shot up his AK, Tesla held up his cannon. Then for a split second, Nobark's head twitched and he screamed at the air. "SHUT UP, SHUT UP! FOR ONCE IN SIXTY YEARS WOULD YOU JUST SHUT UP!"

He shot a look back and Tesla and aimed his gun at him, his troops held up their weapons. Agent Jenny grabbed Rex and Mark and forced them down.

Gunshots boomed, the world flashed bright white. The air clouded up with smoke and ozone, Rex coughed and covered his ears, it was so loud that his head was going numb.

Within five seconds the gunshots stopped and the buzzing ceased.

Mark lay prone on the floor, covering his head with his hands. He looked up and called out, "Tesla, are you alright?"

No response.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


End file.
